'Anabta, Ar-Ras, Jubara (Kafriat), Mon 21.7.08, Afternoon

Jubara

The soldier at the Figs Passage responded to our request to open the gate, saying that the entry to Jubara is prohibited, but right after hearing my explanation, one of the soldiers greets us and opens the gate.

Ar-Ras

13:35 – Both posts are manned. One soldier is at the eastern checkpoint and another is at the northern one. There is also one soldier at the watchtower and another one in the shed, eating. The one eating in the shed welcomes us and as he reads the MachsomWatch tag and asks, "Why aren't there women for soldiers' rights?" and "why aren't there women for Shderot?" He asks but he also listens.

The few cars that come from the direction of Qalqiliya travel the rough road carefully, passing potholes in the ruined road a substantial part of which is taken by the post and the divider, which forces the vehicles that stop for inspection to get partly to the shoulders that are rough, too. The inspection of vehicles that come from the east and go towards Tulkarm is strict. The soldier checks documents, opens the doors and scrutinizes every corner. The soldier from the northern checkpoint takes a break too, and joins his friend, who is eating in the shed. The one in the post on the watchtower signals the cars that come from Tulkarm to pass without inspection.

 Anabta

14:20 – One soldier at the southern post and three at the northern one. Cars going in the direction of Tulkarm pass without inspection. At the exit from the city the line of cars is long. We count 20 cars that are in line before a truck we focus on. It will take the truck 10 minutes to get to the checkpoint. A taxi full of passengers is asked to stand aside while the passengers' documents are being checked. In the mean time cars are allowed to pass. Five minutes after the taxi is released, they stop a bus full of passengers and send it aside.

The documents of 2 passengers are taken for inspection. The windows of the bus are open which means that there is no air-conditioning in it and people are sitting there in the heat of the day waiting for the documents check. Fifteen minutes later the documents are returned and the bus continues on its way.