Habla CP 1393 - the story of a tractor

Opening Hours: 16:30 to 17:10

First we passed by Z. at Azzun. We brought him the best of the best.

16:30 A rainy wintry day. We decided not to go to Falamie, on the assumption that on a rainy day people don’t go out to work in the fields.

At Hable the soldiers are already there. 11 people are waiting to return to their homes. The gate is being opened and the papers of those who have arrive before at being checked and distributed to all. From now on those who cross over to Hable have to pass by the checking shed. Those who leave Hable are waiting for the gate to be opened, so that they may be checked and leave. Some of the cars leaving Hable are thoroughly checked, as well as those entering. Many people cross over to Hable, cars with passengers and pedestrians.

A Bedouin who stops near us tell us that his brother is waiting on the other side of the barrier. He has arrived at the CP coming from Hable with a power shovel tractor but cannot pass because he has forgetten his permit documents but has an ID card. The soldiers demand the document on paper, although they are able to check it on the computer.

He sent somebody home to bring the document. When document arrived the soldiers do not allow him to pass and send him to the Eliyahu CP. God knows what he could transfer with the power shovel. All this happens although, according to him, he passed with the shovel in the morning in order to have it  repaired in Hable. The trip, his brother says, will last an hour as the tractor is a slow vehicle.

The commander (a second lieutenant) approaches us, asks how things are and to Nina’s question replies that it is forbidden to let such a tractor pass, and that it didn’t pass in the morning either, he himself was present.

17:00 There is hardly any traffic. Here and there there are still some pedestrians or bicycle riders entering Hable.

17:05 The shovel which was sent to Sha’ar Eliyahu has returned after all. The CP commander got a telephonic order to let it pass. “The shovel can pass!”. It did pass and again the solution to the question how the problem was suddenly solved remains a military mystery.

The main thing is that the problem has been solved, even if after a lot of anger and distress.

The CP is closed at 17:10.