'Anabta, Azzun, Jit, Mon 26.11.07, Morning
Azzun 06:50
There is a blockade at the western entrance, near the garage, and another one at the main entrance to Azzun. There is no military presence.
09:00
We gave a lift to two young people from ISM [International Solidarity Movement] who wanted to get to Kedumim police station. Azzun is still blocked.
11:45
When we came back, there were no blockades at the main entrance nor at the western one, but there were soldiers there who stopped people who were entering the town and asked them questions.
The two young people, one from Australia and another from England, told us about the time they had spent in Azzun. The municipality provided them with accommodation. However, they went through some difficult days in Azzun and it was even worse for the residents. On Friday, as they were following the soldiers in order to take their picture, the latter turned around and attacked them. They threw the young woman to the ground and beat the young man and then they just took their cameras and went away. They also told us about soldiers shooting in the air or others who catch twelve year old children in the street, take them in their jeep and then release them somewhere. They talked about the residents' fear because it seemed that the soldiers needed no special reason and that nobody cared about them. The two sounded quite trustworthy and it is a pity there are very few photographed testimonies.
Funduq 07:00
The village is quiet. The shops are closed. There are two military vehicles here.
08:50
The village seems to be coming back to life. The shops are open and there is no military presence.
Jit 07:05
There is a checkpoint in the direction of Jit. Palestinian vehicles are not allowed to pass.
Anabta 07:15
About 17 cars are in line to leave Tulkarm for road 60. The passage is relatively quick – about 5 minutes for 10 cars.
There are many pedestrians but most of them pass without inspection. Sometimes the ID card and the hand luggage of a young man are checked. On leaving town, some of the taxis are stopped and an ID card is taken for inspection in an Israeli police vehicle. Two minutes later, they are released. The checkpoint commander claims he doesn't know what they are looking for. When we arrived, there was one detainee whose ID card "failed" the inspection, and another one was taken out of the cab while we were there. They are waiting for a more thorough examination.