'Anabta, Ar-Ras, Thu 21.2.08, Morning

The weather is cold and dry and the traces of the storm and the ice can be seen in the burnt orchards. At Jubara the iron gate is locked and the commander opened it for us and asked where we were going.

7.30 Ar-Ras 
Two buses, one for girls and one for boys wait at the gate. The drivers are angry and so are we. In the opposite direction is a car with two soldiers checked it and this take a long time. We try to draw the attention of the soldiers to the buses but they ignore us and at last allow them to pass without any sort of check. Another car passes with just the ID being checked. The first car is still being checked. The soldiers are calm.

7.45 Anabta.
A man tells us that his brother who is a taxi driver had his ID taken from him. It had been given in for checking and they had left the place without making sure that all had been returned and then it turned out that his was missing. This is the second time that the younger brother has come to the checkpoint to look for it. The commander who is polite and efficient searches and phones the operations room but finds nothing. The story sounds strange and we passed the details on to Mike without arousing great expectations. It is hard to believe that an ID which was lost some time ago and which was not looked for immediately will be found.

 The commander behaves very well and is polite and carries out his duties quietly and efficiently. Most of those leaving are students, all is quiet, there is not line and the cars waiting are parked near us and not far away as is usual.