'Anabta, Ar-Ras, Azzun, Qalqiliya, Tue 25.3.08, Morning

Qalqiliya

06:50-07:10 - No queues. Lieutenant Y [Yaniv] introduces himself amiably. Vehicles come in and out without checking. A young man loitering with the taxi drivers gives vent to his anger. Five minutes before our arrival, he says, 2 army vehicles entered the city "to make arrests". They shoot. Just like that. "They kill, kill, men, children, they don't care." He himself is waiting outside "so as not to be killed".
Azzun
The entrance from Rd 55 is still blocked. No army vehicles.

Anabta08:45-09:10 (back from Beit Iba) -
The line of vehicles coming out of the city seems long, but the passage is fairly quick. We timed 21 cars in 6 minutes. A pedestrian moves towards the checkpoint. "yoohoo! Move back! Move back!" The young man moves back then called to come forward and pass. Just so he knows who's the boss.

Jubara & Ar-Ras

09:20-10:20 - Again we had to wait for permission to enter the village. As we were coming out, the sergeant decided to harass us (or maybe he was genuinely a scatterbrain). "Who are you?" "Is this the same car you came in with?" "Yes." "There were flags." We show him the flags. "And a sign." We show him the sign. At A-Ras there is a dog-handler, but no cars were checked while we were there. We met Ecumenicals from Finland stationed in Tulkarm. They told us about a house belonging to Jubara but situated just outside the village, in what is now a military area. There is a demolition order. Surprisingly, they were allowed to walk on the military road and visit the people. Apparently "B'Tselem" and other organizations are involved. Shaukieh, Abu Hatem's wife, told us that her husband is hospitalized in Tulkarm following a stroke. Sad.