Falamiya CP - the fence is broken and the way is free
One of the purposes of this shift was to acquaint our guest with the agricultural checkpoints and with life in the villages of the West Bank. We passed by way of the Eliyahu Checkpoint with explanations about the separation fence and the seamline zone.
At Azzun we were hosted in O.’s new flat. We met his wife and two of his sons. We then continued to Kafr Jimal. We stopped at Z.’s grocery for a conversation about the situation. He would very much like to tour Israel a bit, but following the warfare at Gaza the age of those allowed to enter Israel without a permit has been raised to 60.
We arrived at Falamiya North Checkpoint (914) at nearly 13:30. A considerable number of private cars were parked there. At the pump garden we talked with the workers who said that the gate was supposed to be opened at 13:30 but that lately the soldiers were often late. Sometimes they arrived in the morning instead of at 06:00 or 06:30, at 08:00. But this does not detain the farmers as the road is breached. Indeed, when we approached the checkpoint we saw that parts of the fence, to the right and to the left, in all three fences, were missing. The way was open even for tractors.
After waiting some time without seeing any Palestinians approaching the checkpoint, we left because of timetable compulsions, and thus didn't wait for the soldiers.
We continued to the Jayyus North Checkpoint (935) in order to show the guest the beautifully tended plots in the area which had been returned, after the fence had been moved to the west following a high court of justice order. We returned by way of the system road and Jiyus. There we stopped to buy fruit from a man who told us in fluent Hebrew that in the past he had worked in Israel, in building. By the car we were asked by passers-by whether we had come to meet N.
At the Habla Checkpoint (1393) we arrived after its closure
, which did not prevent a group of about six young men to pass to the other side by way of openings in the fences. We finished with a conversation and coffee at A. who explained to the visitor the situation in the area.