'Azzun 'Atma, Thu 7.8.08, Afternoon
16:55 – We are met by the deputy head of the council. A wedding is going to take place in the village today. The organizers have contacted the District Coordination Office (DCO) well in advance in order to get an entrance permit for the guests. According to the army rules, non-residents of Azzun-Atme are not allowed to enter the village. In special cases they have to coordinate it with the DCO in advance in order to get permission.
The deputy head of the council together with ten of the wedding guests have been waiting for an hour. "Why," he is asking us, "do we have to wait if we have already got the permission?" Ten minutes later the soldiers allow the guest to pass on foot. A bus full of celebrating people also gets a permission to pass.
The soldiers take the ID cards of the guests and put them in a bag. They will get them back when they return to the checkpoint. The deputy head of the council asks what will happen with those who decide to return separately, and the soldier wonders why all of them shouldn't want to come back together. Then the man understands the futility of arguing with the soldiers and continues his way to the wedding.
The people who enter Azzun Atme undergo a magnetic inspection in a modern facility whereas in cars the trunks are checked. A few questions are asked and the ID cards are shown.
A Palestinian who is smoking will throw his cigarette to the ground when his turn for the inspection comes and the soldier calls him.
We leave at 17:52.