Hamra (Beqaot)

10:30 Bezeq Checkpoint – we crossed into the Occupied Territories.

Below the settlement of Rotem there are two trailers. We went up to Tyassir Checkpoint. It is unmanned. There were no signs of life in the watchtower, either. No soldiers in sight in the maneuvers area.
Next to the watchtower there is a mobile latrine, which has not been there before. A friend who visited the Local Council chairman at Akaba on April 8, 2016, said that on his way back reservist soldiers stopped him at the checkpoint, wondering why he was crossing there.

Allon Road no. 578

The maneuver zones are empty. The earth dyke has been reinforced and is now higher.

Hamra checkpoint 11:00

(35 degrees Celsius outside) Is the Hamra Checkpoint a finished saga? Except for two Israeli flags, the entire checkpoint compound looks deserted. The lanes are open, the road is open, inviting free ,unhampered traffic.

An army truck of the type used for transporting prisoners stops at the entrance to the compound that has been created around the watchtower. 4 male soldiers and one woman-soldier unloaded equipment. Since we heard voices and saw no one, we decided to move forward and check what was happening. Two (reserve) soldiers appeared. The regulars shouted from inside the compound that we were not allowed to be there. The reservist was more polite, confirmed our assumption about the closing of the checkpoint. He said that within the next few hours their tour of duty will be done and they would go home. The “Jordan River Lions” (a relatively new battalion serving in the Palestinian Jordan Valley) will be manning the compound around the watchtower.

11:25 – we left.

Khalet Makhoul

We met neither A. nor I. Only the wife and a younger man were there. They were very busy tending the flock. As to our question about fleas, they said the doctor had been there, left medication and instructions.

We left stuff we had brought them, and took our leave.

11:45 – crossed back into Israel.