'Anata, 'Atara, Huwwara, Za'tara (Tapuah), Sat 27.6.09, Afternoon

Date: 27/06/2009 ,Afternoon

Observers: Aya K., Vivi Z.; Natanya translating

Anata-Shu'afat

The Shu’afat checkpoint is located in the northern part of East Jerusalem at the exit from the village of Anata and the Shu’afat refugee camp, which are located in the area annexed to Jerusalem in 1967. The refugee camp borders the Shu’afat neighborhood to the west, Pisgat Ze’ev to the north, the French Hill neighborhood to the south and the planned expansion of Ma’aleh Adumim to E-1 in the east. It was established in 1966 for 1948 refugees from the West Bank and was populated after the Six Day War by persons who had been expelled from the Jewish Quarter. Today its population comprises some 25,000 people holding blue ID cards and some 15,000 people with Palestinian ID cards. The camp lacks adequate infrastructure and services, and suffers from poverty, neglect and overcrowding. All its buildings are connected to the public electricity and water infrastructure, but not all are connected to the sewer system. The camp’s services are provided by UNRWA, except for those such as health clinics and transportation of pupils to schools in Jerusalem. In 2005, the Israeli High Court of Justice rejected a suit by the residents requesting that the route of the separation fence be drawn such that the camp would remain on the Israeli side, but conditioned its approval of the route on the establishment of a convenient and rapid crossing facility for the inhabitants of the neighborhood, most of whom are residents of Jerusalem.

A temporary checkpoint operated there until December, 2011. It was extremely congested during rush hours, and dangerous for pedestrians (especially children) because of inadequate safety provisions. A new checkpoint was recently inaugurated south of the old one, for public and private transportation and for pedestrians, intended solely for the residents of the camp – holders of blue ID cards, and those with Palestinian ID cards who possess appropriate permits. There are five vehicle inspection stations at the checkpoint, and two for pedestrians (one of which is currently closed) where scanners have been installed but are not yet operating. According to the army, representatives of government agencies will also be present to provide services to residents of the neighbourhood. The pedestrian lanes are very long, located far from the small parking lots, and accessible through only a single revolving gate.

Close description

Summary. A man at Huwwara tells us that there is no removing of checkpoints as the media tries to tell us. He said that the Israelis always try to say that as long as we, the Palestinians are here, we the Israelis are here too.

For the entire Saturday morning 27.6.2009 the north entrances and the east to the city of Ramallah are blocked. The soldiers no longer go wild in the city but claimed that a car with terrorist materials had been found in the area. The people we met complained of the stoppage of life and the closing of the checkpoints caused people to lose what they so much need and that is a day of work, medical treatment and meetings.

At the Anata checkpoint at 15.00 at the exit from the city an enormous line has formed in the direction of the dividing fence. All cars are carefully checked by the border police. People say this is nothing compared to the morning hours.

At Za'tara cars pass and the checking is random.

Checkpoint Atara. The checkpoint which had been closed all the morning was now open in the afternoon. The cars do not stop next to the cement blocks but the soldiers are in the sentry tower. Their heads are seen through the slits at the top and their rifles are pointed towards the road and the cars entering Ramallah.

Huwwara. An open passage to and from Nablus to all cars and also to that of Palestinians from Israel. Random checking of cars. Most of them pass without delay but when a car is randomly checked there is a long delay and the passengers are bothered and their IDs checked. Buses and vans unload their passengers who have to pass through the pedestrian passage. The Palestinians say that the reason for this is that the passengers are mainly young men who have to undergo a further check, x-ray, ID, baggage. Besides these passengers hardly any people go by on foot. Whoever can uses the little freedom that they have now.

It is sad to see that in this slight lessening of the checkpoints the people who had made their livings there. The taxi drivers especially say that the journey to Nablus will not help them because there are more taxis than people and after that the vendors who somehow manage to make a few coins in spite of the nastiness of the soldiers and one of them wanders around with a small carton of chewing gum.