'Anabta, Ar-Ras, Jubara (Kafriat), Mon 23.6.08, Morning

6.35
The Eliyahu gate. Few cars entering Israel. The settlers pass with no
problems and the Arab drivers are carefully checked. We park so as to
speak to the workers who are waiting in line. A border policeman comes
up when we come nearer and sends us off saying tht the checkpoint is
"sterile". We refuse to leave and after a short argument a captain
calls him to the side and it seems that he explains to him that we are
allowed to be there and after that no one else comes up to us.

10s
of workers are still waiting to go through the checkpoint and they have
been there since 5.30. They make out a list between them and when the
"manager" goes through he passes on the list to the next man. Osnat
counted that 10 workers passed in 10 minutes.  The workers say that
because we are there things move faster. There are about 260 workers
who are allowed to pass here and all work in Alfei Menashe.

At
Qalqiliya is an enormous line of which we cannot see the end and a few
cars entering the city. An Israeli car which exits the city is detained
for a long time and two men who say that they work in Petach Tikva are
very bitter. Israeli cars leaving the city are checked and some of them
try to bypass the line and then the checking stops. The confusion and
pressure increase. A horse and cart pass at the side and they are also
sent into the car line which slows everything down even more.

2
phone calls to the centre with Tammie starts everything moving in the
end and by 7.25 the line becomes normal. 26 cars in both directions. I
forgot to mention that here too the soldiers tried to tell us where to
stand but we stood firm and they left us alone. At 7.40 we left.

The
entrance to Azzun is open and we went on to 'Azzun 'Atma. When we spoke to
the head of the village he said that the soldiers acted properly with
the villagers and the problem is the illegal workers who pass through.
When we asked him about the incident that Hagar reported yesterday he
said that border police had tried to stop a taxi which had fled from
them and had gone into the house of one of the residents. They came
after him and it seems that they beat up a resident of the village. He
knows about what happened on Thursday but was not present.

The
checkpoint is quiet and there are few people going through at this time
of day. Residents of the village are briefly checked. Two young men who
are not residents ask for help in obtaining permission to enter and we
explain to them that this is not a subject that we can help with. The
women soldiers are surprised to see us  and allow us to go into the
village. One of the soldiers tries to stop one of them from speaking to
us calling us enemies of the people and this with much aggressiveness.
We go up to the parking  lot which is next to road 5. We asked about
the incident yesterday and were told the same facts.

10.50
Anabta.  More than 22 cars reaching as far as the turning at the
entrance to Anabta…that is to Tulkarm. We come to the checkpoint and
see that all the IDs of the Israelis who are entering are being checked
and this is causing a great delay. The soldiers are polite and check
without intervals but the long line takes time. At the exit are 10 cars
which pass swiftly. Maybe the fact that we spoke to the centre speeds
things up and by 11.15 the line  decreases and we leave.

11.20
We pass Jubara with no problems and for once a smiling soldier opens
the gate for us. At A-Ras little movment. The road leading to A-Ras is
worse than ever because the position of the checkpoint all the cars
which comes from that direction have to pass over holes.