'Anabta, Ar-Ras, Jubara (Kafriat), Mon 30.6.08, Afternoon

Jubara -13: 50- the gate at the entrance to Jubara was locked. It was opened to our request without any delays on our way in and on our way out. At the children’s gate (gate 753) we met 3 reservists that greeted us and told us they met earlier the morning shift of MachsomWatch that morning, we continued to the next checkpoint.
Ar-Ras- one soldier was sitting in the tower; another soldier was standing in the eastern post and checking the vehicles arriving from Qalqiliya and another soldier was checking the vehicles arriving from Tulkarm. From time to time a pickup track loaded with merchandise crosses the checkpoint towards Jubara. The soldiers at the children’s gate are doing the examinations. There were almost no vehicles and the soldiers approached to us asked us questions regarding our actions.

Anabta-14: 30- alongside the road Palestinian kids were selling fruits: plums and apricots. At the checkpoint, one soldier was sitting in the western post and three soldiers were in the northern end of the checkpoint. One soldier was sitting in the post next to a computer. Another soldier was standing and securing in the northern side of the road. A third soldier was checking the certificates of the passengers in the vehicles arriving from Tulkarm. At the entrance to Tulkarm the vehicles cross without any delays. At the exit there was a long line of cars, we couldn’t see its end. Vehicles kept coming. The soldiers were checking the certificates randomly. From time to time a car was pulled to the side of the road and the certificates were taken to a check in the computer.  We mark a truck that is number 20 in the line, after ten minutes it crosses the checkpoint. The soldiers feel discomfort from our presence. We tried to find a shady spot to stand in but got constantly moved by the soldiers. They told us not the stand in the empty post in the western side of the road and not stand in under the net that is spread out above the concrete platform by the tower. The soldier closed the tower’s door while we were standing next to it.

14:50- A police jeep arrives and parks (we started wondering whether the soldiers called them). A constable comes to us and tells us that we are standing in a closed military area and asks us to leave. We ask him how is it possible that this is a closed military area if Palestinians cross there, he insists and we have to leave and move south from the checkpoint. We asked him to identify himself and he introduced himself as the duty officer of Kedumim police station, constable Asam Naser 915702. As we were arguing one of the soldiers called the constable and he went to speak to him. We stood in our place for a several minutes and then we continued towards Beit-Iba checkpoint.