'Anabta, Ar-Ras, Azzun, Jubara (Kafriat), Qalqiliya, Wed 6.2.08, Morning
Summary:
Segregation of Jenin (men between 18-35) only at the checkpoint of Anabta but not at Ar-Ras and not at the checkpoints of Nablus. If it is such a security risk for them to leave their villages from Anabta how come it is permissible from other checkpoints. Why do people going to work, to the university, for medical care, business, etc. etc. have to go back. Just because they have come to Anabta?
The fact that most of the people of Tulkarm and the area of Jenin (about 200,000 people) go through Anabta where there is only one checking area causes long lines and much time wasted in waiting. Even when the pace of the checking is reasonable.
People with lands in the envelope area, for example Jubara, cannot work their lands and this because of a bureaucratic mess of various permits or because such permits are not issued.
The agricultural gate of Jubara
A man who arrived from Israel is having his ID checked as he has no permit and says that he has been there a few minutes.
A man arrives with a permit "the selling of food in the envelope." He says that he can enter Israel but here at this gate he is not allowed to pass through and is sent to gate 704 (where the hell is it?). He says that he has land in the area of Jubara (between the separation fence and the green line) but that he is not given a permit to enter the area to work his land because he bought it two hears ago after the fence was built. That is he who has land in the area cannot sell it because who will buy land which they cannot get to.
The checkpoint of Ar-Ras (gate 8)
7.15 There are no limitations today also not on residents of Jenin. There are as usual few cars here but as usual the dogtrainer and her dog are present.
Anabta (Einav) 7.45 – 8.50
We came to the end of the night watch and it was cold. The soldiers were in cement cubes with plastic. The soldier was angry and shouted at the drivers who bypassed the line (when one has to wait up to an hour it is not surprising) and sends them back. The line from Tulkarm is so long that one cannot see the end of it and goes beyond the turn in the road. More than 30 cars and this was so even when we left.But when we checked the time it took to pass through it was reasonable. Because of the length of time people preferred to get out of the taxi and go through on foot, 100-200 metre and to take another taxi and so there is a long line of pedestrians whose IDs are checked on by one.
Today there is a segregation of those from Jenin including women 18-35 years of age. But all the same not all the cars are stopped for IDs to be checked. If this was done there would be a traffic jam even worse than what there is now.
A car of which the windscreen is smashed tries to bypass the line. The driver says that yesterday settlers at Qedumim had smashed if with stones and he wants to go into Tulkarm to have it fixed.
At 8.00 there is a change of shift and the checking is stopped for 10 minutes. 30 people in the row. We go to the taxi which was sent back and it turns out the driver is from Ramallah and his passenger is a resident of Jenin of 42 year and behind him a young man. Why was it sent back and it seems that the soldier also did not know. In the end they were allowed through. Then we helped an old woman across the road.
Azzun.
10.45 (on the way back from Beit Iba_ …2 entrances open. And at Qalqiliya were reserve soldiers. No lines and no limitations.