Habla Checkpoint (1393)

Opening hours:  07:00 - 08:15 (official hours, though they really close at 08:00 and the Palestinians "know" this).

6:50  We got there early.  No one in sight.

On the gate and the fences all around they put coils of barbed wire which we hadn't seen before.  Apparently, against people who "sneak in", jumping over the fence, as the soldiers told us in the past, although not having permits.

7:00  The soldiers arrive.  At gate for those coming from Habla one can see a few people waiting.

7:08  They start to go through.  From now on, everything goes smoothly.  More and more people arrives;  we estimate that more than 100 pedestrians went through.  Another few dozen went through in vehicles, bicycles and wagons.  There was a "flood" of people.  Among the vehicles that sent through, there was a minibus that brought the teachers to the grammar school in the Bedouin village  which is in the no-man's land between the wall and the Green Line.  The minibus returned 20 minutes later, now carrying students for the secondary school in Habla.  The grocery owner who went though said to me that they don't allow him to bring vegetables through this checkpoint but only at the Eliyahu checkpoint.  Here, he can bring in "a few pitot and cheese".  He brought them to his shop and quickly returned to Habla-Qalqiliya so that he could go through with most of his merchandise at the Eliyahu checkpoint.

O.  tells us that he has become an usher, organizing those waiting energetically and continuously, his son helping him, standing next to the station at the exit from Habla.

8:02  All the gates are locked.  O., who is going out to his nursery, says that next week, on Tuesday, the olive harvest will begin and, in its honor, a few more gates will be opened.  He couldn't give their names.