'Anabta, Ar-Ras, Qalqiliya, Tue 9.9.08, Afternoon

13:20 Ar-Ras

Little traffic. Some cars are checked carefully and some are just waved through. The soldier said that he checked anyone he thought suspicious.

At the Children's Gate a police car stopped a Palestinian who received a report for not wearing a seat belt. We had stopped to see if help was needed and then had a conversation with the soldiers about the necessity of the  checkpoint.

I am always amazed at the ignorance of the soldiers. "We are not an occupying army." This is what they say.

We wait a few minutes for the gate to be opened and in the meantime watch the Tayaniem passage where there are no lines of cars.

14:25 Anabta.

Cars pass without delay. Sometimes two or three line up as the soldiers are chatting and forget to wave them forward.
 
We bought figs and continued to Beit Iba.

At Qalqiliya cars entered quickly.