North West Bank: Fence breaches are closing

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Observers: 
Telephone report to Shuli Bar
May-18-2021
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Morning

A. called, a young man from one of the villages in the north-western part of the West Bank. We’re in touch for years now, and he is very dear to me. He said that in the daytime soldiers stand by the popular holes in the Separation Fence, and it’s become quite difficult to pass from the West Bank to one’s workplace in the seam-zone or inside Israel. At the checkpoints, any Palestinians below the age of 45 are not allowed through since the attack on Gaza began, and thus family men with regular jobs inside Israel must stay home. Others too, who used to cross over through the holes in the fence and on a good day brought some money home. What does one do? Goes crazy with frustration. Some do cross through distant holes in the dark, wee hours of the night, go wherever they go through the wild or olive groves, and return in the afternoon through checkpoints that do not check the returnees. I’ve been at home all week, he says, did nothing except go crazy. I have work, I am needed, and I cannot make any money.

 

M. calls, asking me to find out for him whether tomorrow the agricultural checkpoint he usually crosses will be opened, with the situation as it is. At the DCO I was told that it would be opened. Sure? Sure. Another authorized source said that unfortunately it will not be opened. Finally, M. didn’t leave. From home he saw that people were working at the checkpoint, closing the large hole. Another large hole was closed by soldiers opposite Umm Al Fahm. Many people have thus lost a significant source of livelihood they had enjoyed throughout this last year.