'Anabta, Jubara (Kafriat), Qalqiliya, Tue 10.3.09, Afternoon

General: There are
drastic changes in the structure of the checkpoints. 

14:20:
Jubara

We found the gate locked
as usual.  On the side of the village are concrete barriers, and
on the other side there is a steel arm with a guard station next to
it.

We approached the soldiers
at the Te’enim crossing.  They explained to us that soon the
entry for residents will be from this gate.  The children’s gate
will become an agricultural gate only.  The Adam Checkpoint no
longer exists.  Meanwhile villagers will come from the main road. 
Perhaps in the future the northern gate will be opened as it was more
than three years ago.

We have no permit to
cross to the village.  We decided not to argue with them. 
We went up to the hill overlooking Tul Karem and did not see any other
checkpoint from there. 

14:40:
Anabta

Tractors are working
energetically at widening the checkpoint.  We asked a soldier what
they are doing here.  He doesn’t know.  He is just a “cog
in the machine.”  Cars pass in both directions to and from Tul
Karem and are hardly checked at all. Cars with yellow license plates
also enter the city.  Occasionally a car is stopped for questioning
and even checked.

15:10: The shift changes. 
The new soldiers arrive in a cheerful mood singing a Purim song. 
They deliberately hang up the blue and white sign opposite us. 
We ignore it.  Meanwhile a line of 20 cars has formed at the entrance
to the city.

15:20: The soldiers are
chatting with the drivers and therefore the line does not get any shorter.

We left for Beit Iba.

17:40: Qalqilya

Cars are passing in and
out of the city without delay.  We asked the taxi drivers why.
They said that it could be because there are no workers due to the closure. 
One taxi driver tells us that an hour ago a civilian car was standing
and checking cars (instead of the soldiers at the checkpoint). 
There was a long line that extended as far as the intersection.