'Anabta, Jubara (Kafriat), Wed 21.1.09, Morning

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Observers: 
m K., Moriya P. (reporting)
Jan-21-2009
|
Morning

Translation: Galia S.

Anabta
 

08:10 – No cars and no line. Cars that arrive while we are there pass without inspection.


We are given a warm welcome. One of the soldiers offers us tea (??!). When we refuse, he asks if it is because he is a soldier, to which we admit. Smiling he introduces the other soldier and says he is our friend. That soldier, D., is shooting a film about a family from Baqa al Gharbiya that is moving to Israel thanks to the mother's Israeli ID card.

He wants to take our picture but respects our reluctance.

He also tells us that this is the last time he is on duty in the reserve service as it is too large a dissonance. "The worse thing here is arbitrariness," he says, since "things at the checkpoint depend many times on the state of mind of the soldier on duty." When soldiers come to pick up D.'s friend, we get the more familiar attitude. The soldier in the vehicle tells him not to talk to us and he shouts at us to go home. In addition, when the vehicle starts moving, he gives us the finger.


Only one lane is open in both directions. D., the soldier, claims that the reason is lack of traffic. When we leave, there are already more cars coming from both directions. D. says it's "borderline".


Jubara checkpoint, the entrance to Ar-Ras 

08:45 – They open for us the gate without problems.


The post at 753 is manned. When they find out we are from MachsomWatch, they welcome us with the words "sure, go ahead" and the way is open for us (???!).
  

At Ar-Ras there is no traffic and all is quiet. The soldiers offer us a hard boiled egg (???!). One of them suggests that since we are here we can replace him for a while. They ask us if we have heard that they beat an Arab yesterday. When we say we haven't, they say it's because they didn't. Occupation humor (enlightened occupation).


09:05 – A line of 3 cars is moving. We leave.