Azzun, Jit, Jubara (Kafriat), Qalqiliya, Wed 5.12.07, Morning

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Rina Z. Inbal R.,Natanya translating
05/12/2007
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בוקר

Summary.
 The closureinfo-icon of Qalqiliya continues and the main exit is closed so cutting off the town from the Occupied territories. The army still has dirt barricades on most of the exits from the Palestinian villages to the main road in the area (raod 55) . It should be checked as to whether the blockage at Ramin to road 57 has been opened.

7.00 – 8.00 Jubara.
 The passage is empty and the soldiers are tense when they see an Israeli car arriving. Can we pass? Nadim tries to be pleasant and the soldier thinks he is trying to be funny.  At A‑Ras there is little movement and at Beit Lid no blockages. At Anabta there are about 20 cars and the checking seems to be swift…15 cars in 5 minutes.
8.00-9.30 Ramin
A military tractor raises the cement blocks which have been there for about 3 years but we cannot believe that the passage will remain open because through Ramin it is possible to get to Tulkarm and Jenin.

At Jit there are no soldiers and the passage is open.

Blockages on road 55. Funduk-Haga.  2 dirt barriers have been lifted and the local people say that they army took them down on Monday night.  At Jinsfod the way to road 55 is blocked and also the village of Lakif, Azzun is  blocked. There were 4 dirt barriers that we counted, east, west and two on the interior road.

10.00 Qalqiliya
 A roadblock by the border police on the main road after the turning to Zufin.  Residents cannot leave the town in any way. Only those who have Israeli IDs can go through and ambulances and UN cars.  Any Palestinian car can enter the area without being checked but even so about 20 cars are lined up. The soldiers are having a violent argument and forget to signal to the cars to come forward and of course the drivers know not to do this unless they are beckoned forward. The drivers say they have been there half an hour.
From various sources including drivers and soldiers we learn that cars can also not get through 1351. But there is a parallel road along which they can travel.  So it seems that there is another way but much, longer. It is possible that the closure is only partial  and so we cannot find how this helps the security.

Remarks about the reports from a reserve soldier who serves as a commander at one of the checkpoints and reads our reports. He said:

1. The reports are inaccurate and not exact. The person who stands on the sidelines cannot know exactly what is happening, and sometimes what is missing is filled in by the observer's opinions.  For example a report was made that Palestinians had to wait while soldiers had their meal. He says that they were replaced by other soldiers but then an order came through to make the checking more thorough which meant that the Palestinians had a longer wait.

2. The reports can endanger the soldiers. If we report at what time the soldiers have their meals or when shifts are changed this gives information about the army.

We said that the information we report is open to any Palestinian who comes to the checkpoint and to this he replied that our reports are made each day and are superficial.

In my opinion (Inbal) this should maybe taken into consideration.