'Anabta, Ar-Ras, Mon 17.11.08, Afternoon

Translation: Galia S.

14:00 – The Figs Checkpoint is manned by reservists and one of them opens the gate to Jubara for us without delays. The Schoolchildren's and Ar-Ras checkpoints are also manned by reservists. Vehicle traffic is thin. In both directions each passing car is checked briefly.

Anabta 

14:25 – Here too, reservists man the checkpoint. The line of cars that enter Tulkarm is long and stretches to the junction. There is a long line of cars from the direction of Tulkarm, as well, and its end can't be seen.

The driver of a taxi parked on the roadside tells us that the line is the product of the last minutes, probably the result of shift replacement. The car traffic is lively all the time we are there. The soldiers stop checking the cars that leave Nablus and tell the drivers to move on quickly. At the southern checkpoint, on the other hand, the soldiers check every entering car. According to our timing, it took a truck 10 minutes to pass the checkpoint from the moment of arrival. Some of the taxis by-pass the line and, to our surprise, the drivers make way for them to join the line before the entrance to the checkpoint.