Jubara

13.55 The pupils have already crossed the "school gate".
Several boys confirm that last week the gate was closed and they
missed school. At the miserable grocery we learn that there is no
bread in the village, they have flour and bake their pitas, there
is no petrol or provisions, the generator works 1800-2400.
Sometimes school children carry provisions across from Ar-Ras, such
as chips, jerry can with petrol. No one can reach his or her olive
groves to harvest. If they try to reach Taibeh, they get caught by
the patrolling jeep. The situation is catastrophic.

At the Jubara checkpoint are unfriendly soldiers. The commander
declares he will have nothing to do with us. Ten detainees on the
east side, they crossed illegally, also a van, keys confiscated, a
taxi that drove on Settlers' road was confiscated the day before.
One detainee is wounded, and bandaged, says soldiers hit him with a
gun, soldiers adamantly deny. The detainees are hungry, phone
Tulkarm, and a taxi arrives with food. Ilana gets permission from
soldier to carry the lunch to the group. There follows a
picnic…..we are invited to join.

The owner of the corner house appears with wife and 3 girls, says
he has a wedding in Tulkarm, can't pass. A well-dressed man with
parcels tries to reach Tulkarm to join a group that is to travel at
midnight to Jordan and thence to a Hajj in Mecca. He is refused
passage, before we can call anyone he retreats, probably will slip
through. Several teenage boys wish to go to Jubara, saying they
live there, which is not true. The soldier reacts aggressively,
heated argument, we try to pacify. Eventually 4 boys are let
through by DCO instructions. Some women want to reach their village
of Kafr Sur, 2 are allowed, the others not.

The non cooperative soldiers thaw after 2 hours, and we talk to
them. The commander asks: "This activity, what's in it for
you?"

At the Tulkarm gate, no movement except for old parents who are
allowed to meet their Israeli son and grandchildren under the
surveillance of a border police jeep. They kiss and talk, and the
Israeli gives his parents some money. He tells us this is a monthly
encounter.