Falamiya North Checkpoint (914), Falamiya South Checkpoint (935)

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Observers: 
Nina S. and Herzliya A.; Translator: Judith Green
Apr-2-2017
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Afternoon

Falamiya North, 914 

Opening hour:  17:00-17:20. 

Notice the change because of Summer Clock.

15:30  At the entrance to Azzun, on the way to Falamiya, a command car with soldiers was waiting on the side.  Not clear what they were doing.

15:40  We arrived.  A few dozen people waiting on the other side of the fences.  We had still thought that the checkpoint would open at 16:00.  Waited.  After a while, Nina called the DCO and spoke with a soldier who promised to check why they hadn't opened the checkpoint.  We got an answer 15 minutes later:  We returned to Summer Time, so now it opens at 17:00.

17:00  No soldiers.  Meanwhile, a young man who arrived in a jeep started a conversation with us.  He was the son of someone we know who has a grocery store in the village of Jimal;  he told us that he has not had an entrance permit in order to work his fields of za'atar for 40 days, though he doesn't know why he doesn't appear on the list of those permitted to cross over.  Maybe because of a lack of communication between the Palestinian and the Israeli DCO?  He took part in a demonstraton today at the Tzofim checkpoint.

17:00  The soldiers arrived late.  The workers have been waiting to go home for an hour and a half.  The soldier who opened the gate said that the hours are now 17:00-17:20.  The Palestinians next to us said that this morning the gate was open from 6:00-6:30 and in the afternoon at 13:00-13:30.  That is, they make them work either a half day or 11 hours!  Those crossing through complained about the opening hours, and one of them asked:  "How long will this keep up?"  Almost all the workers are quite young and exhibit the moods typical of young men.  Happy they can finally get home.  Altogether, about 30-40 people (we didn't count) and a few tractors.  Those hitching rides on the tractors went through the pedestrian gate and only got back on the tractors after the checkpoint.  The soldiers checked carefully and very slowly all the documents, one by one.

17:35 We left.

Falamiya South (West Jayous) 935

Opening hours:  17:40-18:00

17:45  We arrived.  The soldiers were already there, the checkpoint was open and a few people and tractors pass through.  After that, there was no one for a while.

17:55  A tractor with a passenger arrived, a truck with passengers and another tractor.  All went through.

18:10  On the road between Jayour and before the village of Sir, an army road block.  The soldiers were standing on both sides of the road with guns;  on the road were metal teeth to obstruct passage and they were checking some of the vehicles, sometimes carefully and thoroughly, also the documents.  A large traffic jam formed, lines of cars waiting in both directions,  We stood in line for 15 minutes.