Cab drivers

Translation: Yael S.

It would seem that the residents of El-Jib village don't hold a good impression of their neighbors from across the fence.

Qalandiya:

Tens of people huddled up in front of each of the three active inspection lanes are an unexpectable sight for such an hour. After observing this for a couple of minutes it became clear that the reason was the inactivity of the soldiers in the posts. The Palestinians as usual accepted it. They stood silently and waited. From their many years of experience they learned that complaints, yelling and defiance won't speed the process nor will they make things easier for them.  

On the northern side of the checkpoint, where thousands pass each day, a market of merchandize and various types of food is sprouting and flourishing. You may find telephones, books for children, sweets, hot and cold drinks and even feed on a Kebab enwrapped in Pita bread.  
No one knows how long this commercial "prosperity" will last. Since over here, in the no man's land between the refugee camp and the checkpoint, reality is fragile, inspectors from the municipality with the help of police officers and soldiers might (as has happened numerous times in the past) appear at the site at any hour of every day and destroy the stands, confiscate merchandise and scales, and fine the owners. This is because the dry law states this place to be under the jurisdiction of the municipality of Jerusalem, and none of the peddlers neither has nor indeed will ever be able to obtain a business license.

Taxi drivers continue to speak of the morning routine at Jaba checkpoint, the unnecessary delays and meticulous inspections which lead to tickets. Anything to delay their mergence at road 60- the main road leading to Jerusalem. The stories are the same, only the passion with which they are told differs. Reality and the need to survive turned the Palestinians into some sort of sponge. But even a sponge has a limited ability to absorb, and one cannot predict what might happen when it all becomes too much.

El-Jib
"It all depends on the soldier", said Yunis the owner of the canteen and added that Thursday was a tough day, and that because of a specific soldier who performed the inspections had caused difficulties, the last of the workers passed only at nine o'clock, a time when some return to their homes: "because their working day is ruined".

A shepherd was leading his sheep between the olives trees behind the walls of the checkpoint with the help of a dog who made sure the sheep kept to their places. "It's a Jewish dog", said the shepherd with pride. The young men that were present apologetically explained that the shepherd didn't take the dog away from anyone, but had received it from someone who lived in New Givon when it was very small, that he didn't do it take it without permission, that he took care of the dog and fed it, that the dog was his…
The phrasing of the explanation made it clear that they were worried that the two Jewish women might take the dog away from its owner. And when Aya presented herself before the shepherd and asked what his name was, he was puzzled and asked: "do you know I'm an Arab?"
It would seem that the residents of El-Jib village don't hold a good impression of their neighbors from across the fence.

According to the rules, a  Palestinian girl is not allowed to sleep at her grandmother's house, but the Reihan settlement wants 'social justice'.

6:10 A'anin CP
Only now, ten minutes late, are they opening the CP gates. Apparently they were simply waiting for us. About thirty people, a few tractors and a donkey arrive all together at the middle gate and are waiting to go through. Almost all those going through are men. Two young men are not allowed to go through. A few boys are waiting on the other side of the fence; they know that they will not be allowed to go through.

6:50. A family asks to go through. The mother shows the daughter's birth certificate; a girl aged 12. The girl is not allowed to go through. She is sent back with her brother. The girl does not want to leave her mother who has gone through the CP, and her brother holds her arm and pulls her in the direction of the village.  We do not understand why the girl is not allowed to go through. At the DCO, they say that nothing is said in the mother's permit about her being 'accompanied by 12 year olds'. The woman soldier at the CP has another argument: She has discovered the plot! She found that the mother has a bag of clothes (belonging to the girl?), a sign that the child intends to sleep at her grandmother's house 'in Israel! And she will or will not come back. I'm well acquainted with the mess' (the grandmother apparently lives nearby in Umm-el-Reihan, and not in Tel Aviv, God forbid). What is the sin, we wonder and the soldier answers that she also likes to sleep at her grandmother's house, but this (pointing at them) is against the rules (rules that apply to the girl and not to the woman soldier).

On our way to the Shaked-Tura CP, we met a farmer from A'anin on his plot of land. He points to the trees whose low branches have been licked and chewed by cows; the same cows of the resident of the Israeli Ein Sahala, that are doing damage to his land. (In the picture we can see the cows walking around in the olive groves, and none interfering with them.) He tells us that once he sowed onions in the shade of the trees, and put a fence around the plants. But that did not help. He says that the cows come by themselves without a herder and return to Ein Sahala in the evening. It has not helped to complain to the DCO and to the police. We saw the independent cows walking around in the area.

07:25 Shaked-Tura CP
Here, too, we are told that the CP was opened late. A herd of goats that we are acquainted with goes through to the seamline zone. A few people go through too. Only one woman goes through to the West Bank. The commander of the DCO, Kamil, arrives in a civilian vehicle. We ask to speak to him and we call him, but after looking in our direction he disappears. Three military jeeps arrive. In one of them, we see Menashe, the vice commander of the brigade; he stops and talks to us. We tell him about the girl from A'anin. He says that he will find out about it. He gives us a name and a telephone number because he is leaving in a week.

07:55 Reihan-Barta;a, Palestinian parking lot
(In the picture: a Shesh-Besh cube in the CP par, Occupation art)
The parking lot is not full. Perhaps because the Palestinian Authority has reinstated winter time, the tradesmen and workers of East Barta'a have not yet arrived. They are careful to let the few pedestrians go through in fives. A woman and her four children comes in together with five workers. The woman security guard in the hut immediately starts yelling: 'In fives, in fives! What has happened to you? You know this'.' They turned back and after a second, they entered again. Order must be preserved.

A driver complains about the difficulties of making a livelihood. The only alternative to work in transportation is in agriculture. An agricultural  worker on the West Bank earns fifty shekels per day. He speaks a fluent Hebrew since for a long time he worked in Israel; he also learned the language from the book: 1000 WORDS. It turns out that he worked for years, for a family in Pardes Hannah, friends of Shula's. And he knows a surprising number of details about the history of this family.

At the entrance to Reihan Settlement there are surprising and ridiculous signs: 'social justice', 'we want change', 'more money for education'. It seems that the Reihan settlers do not realize the injustice of their being there. Above the protest signs, there is a permanent sign inviting people to 'be guests of the Reihan Woods cheese' and behind them a sign announcing that 'a believer is not afraid'.

09:05 Jalameh CP
Many cars are parked at the opening of the terminal, something that is unusual. Among the vehicles in the vehicle CP, there are none that belong to Arab citizens of Israel. The passengers going to the Rambam Hospital are already waiting. No other people are going through at this time.

Translator: Ilil Naveh-Benjamin

I was invited to guide activists from the Committee Against Home Destruction, who were planning guided tours of the Jordan Valley (the southern region in particular, due to its proximity to Jerusalem and their reluctance to carry out long tours out of concern that people wouldn’t come.)

The tour itself was brief.  I told them about the valley closure, about water being withheld and about the destruction of homes in the northern end of the valley.  On the way to the Hamra checkpoint, I pointed out the various blockages (gates, gigantic boulders, trenches, high piles of dirt), the “fire zone” signs posted at the entrances to Palestinian towns, and the difference between Palestinian towns, with their faded yellow surroundings and entrances marked by yellow water tanks, and the intensely green vineyards of the settlements.

Hamra checkpoint  - 14:25

Movement was sparse.  Since I was alone, I decided not to approach the checkpoint, but to watch from afar.  About 10 young men were crossing the checkpoint on foot, holding their belts, and they waited in the sun for ten minutes.  No cars passed during this time.  Coming from Tayasir and heading to Jericho, the men were waiting for the taxicab that had brought them, which was still delayed at the checkpoint. The taxi finally arrived, its driver filled with rage, cursing and yelling. According to him, he’d waited for an hour at the western side of the checkpoint.  A soldier had motioned him to the side and said, “Until three cars show up, I won’t let you pass.”

In my estimation, the driver hadn’t waited an hour, but he did wait in the merciless sun for over half an hour.  Something similar happened in Tayasir (see below).

Tayasir checkpoint – 15:10

Movement is very sparse.  I stood about 100 metres away from the checkpoint (and 50 metres east of the Palestinians’ stopping point) in order to observe without being noticed by the soldiers.  Two cars – a taxicab and a truck – stood on the western side (the West Bank side) and waited for permission to approach the checkpoint.  And waited.  And waited. 
A full 10 minutes passed without a single car being checked (even the passengers sat still in their cars).  The checkpoint stood vacant, the soldiers inside their air-conditioned booths and the Palestinians roasting in their non-air-conditioned cars.  Then, one of the soldiers motioned with a lazy hand for the taxicab to approach.  The passengers disembarked at the end of the pedestrian path. 
The taxicab entered the checkpoint, was thoroughly examined, including its trunk, and passed.  Meanwhile, the passengers stood and waited for instructions to approach the checkpoint. And waited. And waited. 
The checkpoint commander approached me (I’d gotten closer to speak to the drivers who were waiting to cross to the West Bank).  He slowly walked towards me, motioned me to roll down my car window and asked, “Is everything OK?”, adding, “If you have any questions, I’m here.”  I asked, “Why are these people, the taxi passengers, standing at the checkpoint and not being called forward to be examined and pass through?” His answer: “Because I came down to speak with you, and when I’m not there - they don’t pass.” 
By the time he returned to the checkpoint, 15 minutes had passed since the 11 passengers had disembarked, and 10 additional minutes went by until everyone, including children and elderly people, passed one by one, finally reaching their taxicab.  In short – over half an hour (!!) went by from the moment they arrived at the empty checkpoint until they were allowed to continue on their way.

Translation: Aliyah S. 

9:30  Za'tara:

There was heavy traffic from Nablus going south, but there was no checking of vehicles and the traffic was moving smoothly. There were some soldiers in the center space, but we didn't see any checking.

I asked Nadim what his ideas are on the Palestinian initiative to declare an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and if he believes in a "two state" solution to the conflict. Nadim is not optimistic. He doesn't hold out much chance for the success of the "2 state" idea. He does not believe that the Palestinian initiative will bring about the desired outcome for the Palestinians. With the current Israeli government he sees nothing to hope for. He even envisages a world war erupting from the conflict in our area.      

9:45  Huwwara:

 The road into and out of Nablus was open. There were no soldiers in sight

10:15  Awarta:

We decided to return to Awarta where we had interviewed several men after the murders in Itamar, and after 5 days of closure by the military. Now after two months we wanted to see if things had changed there.

First we interviewed some taxi drivers at the entrance to the village. They complained that there wasn't much work. We were told that 30 men from the village are still being detained although no one knows why. One driver's son, 16 years old, was still in detention, for two months, and the family had not visited him. They really don't know where he is or what is happening to him. They believe the men are being held at the nearby military base.

The relations with the settlers are as bad as ever. As the taxis pass on the road there are settlers who throw stones; one driver's window was broken by a stone. The drivers claim that the police know who the culprits are but do nothing. In February one driver complained to the police in Huwwara. He claimed that the stone throwing was endangering their lives. The Israeli police have told the drivers that if they can't bring in a suspect then the complaint is simply filed and nothing is done about it.  We asked them about their ideas on the "two state" solution, and the Paletinian initiative. Their answers were very lukewarm; they don't have much hope for it, especially with all the settlers.

In the village we went back to the workshop (for changing vehicular oils) that we had first been to. The same men welcomed us back with tea and stories. Just the day before several farmers had gone to work their land. On their way, on the road to Yanun, settlers came to the road and threw stones at them, then the settlers stole a donkey. There was a military jeep nearby but the soldiers did nothing, and then they left. The farmers couldn't get to their land but they did get the donkey back.

There are many stories about the harassment and the stealing that the settlers perpetrate. The sheep that are owned by the settlers in Itamar are regularly grazed on Palestinian land belonging to the farmers in Awarta. The sheep eat the young growth on the trees of Awarta. This is the same area where some time ago two children from Awarta were killed. A settler was arrested but nothing came of it and he was released. The settlers say that because of this the Fogel family was murdered. Just then a man about 40 years old walked up to Nadim's empty car. He stuck his head in through the open window and shouted something incomprehensible to no one. This man had been arrested and during his detention he had been hit repeatedly on the head. Since they released him he has acted strangely and in an uncontrollable manner.

 Also here we asked the men what they think of the plan to go to the UN for a declaration of a Palestinian state. "What's the point," they said, "with all the settlers here." "It's the idea of the Fatah." Again we met with a rather pessimistic reception of the idea. Then another man walked in, sat down, said hello all around and asked what the discussion was. He launched into a heated speech, after which Nadim argued with him; then the others joined the argument. We couldn't understand anything, and they were so into the argument that we couldn't stop them for translation. Finally, Nadim gave us some idea of what was being said. This man was definitely against the idea of two states. He had some very good points as to why it would never come into being. He is in favor of one Palestinian state with citizenship for all the people, Jews and Arabs and anyone else.

On Monday evening, 30.5.11, there was a discussion at the Coalition of Women for Peace with Tamar Gozansky arguing for "two states" and Sahar Francis from Adameer, arguing for one state for all its citizens. A very lively and loud argument ensued. Both Israelis and Palestinians, Jews and Arabs, are very much divided on this issue.

Translator:  Charles K.

Before leaving for my shift today, I picked the paper as usual and the headline in Ha’aretz annoyed me very much:  “Minister of Education Gid’on Sa’ar initiates a new program of school tours to the Cave of the Patriarchs.”  The photo accompanying the headline shows the head of Anat Cohen, the settlers’ sweetheart, who attacks us verbally and physically.  Which is nothing in comparison to what she does to Palestinians…  What’s her connection to Israel’s heritage?!  What connection is there between the delusional settlers and coexistence, living in peace…are they the representatives of Jewish and Israeli values?

It was only necessary to join my shift today to see just which “Jewish values” we’re instilling in the occupied land – in Palestine.

Sansana-Meitar crossing

Everyone is a potential enemy, so people with guns drawn stand everywhere.  The architecture of ugliness and evil is expressed in the quantity of concrete that has been poured there and in all the pillboxes and fences.  The behavior, on the other hand, tries to be as respectful as possible, and by 6:30, when we go by, all the Palestinian laborers are already on the Israeli side.

When we come back, two buses carrying relatives of prisoners are in the parking lot.

Route 60

A few of the almond trees are in bloom.  Otherwise, children walk to school along the roadside, and there are very many military jeeps on the road and at the junctions – and in some places off-road as well.

A flying checkpoint at Kvasim junction:  they’re stopping all cars.  About ten cars are on line.  The taxi drivers and passengers are happy to see us and ask me “why aren’t you writing this down?”  It’s raining, the drivers and passengers have to get out, their IDs are taken, the trunk inspected.  When we arrive they suddenly stop halting the taxis.  So if they’re not stopping the taxis because of us, there was certainly no reason to have stopped them before we arrive, right?!  From a security standpoint, it would be logical that if it’s necessary to guard Route 60, there should be a checkpoint there, not on the road between Yatta and Hebron!  Two purely Palestinian towns.  So it’s not security logic that’s at work here, just the need to demonstrate who’s in charge, who decides and who’s being ruled. 

Another flying checkpoint has been set up at the junction of Route 60 and Route 356 – but there’s no line, because there’s almost no Palestinian traffic there.

Route 356

After Ohad Hemo’s televised report on the children scavenging garbage in Yatta we decided to go see them.  It was shocking!!  Very small children digging through the garbage to earn money. It’s Area C, a completely Palestinian area under Israeli control! How are we demonstrating Jewish values and Israel values when little children have to make a living from garbage?! Maybe that’s where we should bring Jewish heritage tours, rather than to the Cave of the Patriarchs, next to the grave of the “righteous” Baruch Goldstein.

Hebron

Today is a Moslem “exception day” – an “exception day” is a military term referring to prayer arrangements at the Cave of the Patriarchs – every year representatives of the waqf, the civil administration and the military rabbinate meet to decide which days members of the different religions can use the entire large hall in the Cave of the Patriarchs for worship.  The days are set according to each religion’s holiday calendar.  There are three Moslem exception days this week, because of the celebration of Muhammad’s birthday.  The city fills with soldiers, police and Border Police on a Moslem exception day.  They’re stationed in pairs, wearing berets and with weapons drawn, about 500 meters apart and on every possible rooftop.  As if the army was protecting the worshippers from the settlers.  No detainees at the checkpoints – some of the Palestinian men wear red kaffiyahs in honor of their holiday.

The main prayer is at noon, and the streets fill with men on their way to worship.

The army takes advantage of the presence of many soldiers and policeman to conduct an unannounced exercise “in case of Palestinian resistance and an uprising.”  Many soldiers run through the streets, some disguised as Palestinians trying to go through the checkpoints – what a show!  What’s not part of the show is the fact that no civilian traffic is allowed anywhere in the area of the exercise. Settlers and TIPH personnel pass, but Palestinians can’t. Only after we intervene with the officers are they allowed through. One Palestinian, an amiable older man, says: “We’re like guests in this country, not welcome citizens…” When one of those delayed tries to object and go through a Givati soldier blocks him physical: he raises the butt of his gun and pushes. My shouts bring the officer who calms the soldier and the Palestinian.

When the exercise is over we recognize the commander of the Judea brigade and approach him to say that they wouldn’t dare conduct such an exercise in Beersheba or in Tel Aviv without first informing the residents, and that there was no need to delay them – they should have been let through.  “You’re right!” he says, it didn’t occur to us.  And he gives us his card.

I wonder whether that brigade commander agrees with the Minister of Education’s delusional program for tours by pupils?!  Of course he’ll agree, and also know that every such tour will rob Palestinians of additional human rights.  But – you see - they’re transparent, they don’t exist.  How did David Grossman put it – present absentees.  That’s the face of Israel, 2011: Gid’on Sa’ar and Fa’ina Kirshenboim

As Sawiya 10:30:

 We visited Taysir in his home. Taysir is a photographer for the Palestinian television. On the wall of his salon where we sat and spoke with him are two prominent pictures, Taysir and Arafat, and Taysir and Abu Mazen.

            His house was built in 2001, along a new path, down the hill from an older line of houses, but outside the border of the village that was determined in the Oslo Accords. The entire village of As Sawiya is in Area B, in the Accords, but anything outside the very tight border of the village is in Area C, under Israeli control. This means that the village can only expand to include new houses for a growing population with the permission of the Israeli Civil Administration. The Israeli administration is very stingy in handing out permits to build, so Taysir's house, along with that of his brother next door to him, are illegally built and have a demolition order hanging over them since 2008. The Palestinian Authiority told him to finish building the house and to live in it. He took loans in order to finish the house. Now he says, "The Palestinian Authority does nothing for us; it gives us nothing. It would be better for us if we were annexed to Israel and under Israeli rule."

            The children do not go to nursery school; they start school at age 6, and they have to walk there. His wife finished her high school education, but there is no work for her in the village; she is at home with the young children. Health services are mainly in Nablus; a doctor comes once a week to a clinic in the village, and there is no nurse in the village. They have water for the house, but there is no water for agriculture. His family owns 3 dunams  of land with olive trees.

11:30 Biddya

           The taxi driver we spoke with can now drive all over the Palestinian territories, but he has been unable to get a permit to enter Israel. Very, very few permits are given. He has some land that he is cut off from by the fence, and has not been able to get to that either.

           The falafel, chips and salad in Bidia were very tasty.

יום ה', 3.2.2011, משמרת בוקר, א-סאווייה, בידיה

משקיפות: נוגה ה., עליה ש. – מדווחת

 10.30 - א-סאווייה ביקרנו את תיאסיר בביתו. תיאסיר הינו צלם בערוץ הטלוויזיה הפלסטיני. על קיר הסלון בביתו, היכן שישבנו ודיברנו איתו, תלויות שתי תמונות בולטות, שבהן מצולמים תיאסיר עם ערפאת ותיאסיר עם אבו מאזן. 

ביתו נבנה ב- 2001 לאורך שביל חדש שנמתח במורד הגבעה משורה של בתים ישנים, אך מחוץ לגבול של א-סאווייה, כפי שנקבע בהסכמי אוסלו. כל הכפר נמצא באזורB לפי הסכמים אלה, אך כל מה שנמצא מחוץ לגבול המדוייק של הכפר נמצא באזורC - שנמצא בשליטת ישראל. פירושו של דבר שאין מקום בתחום הכפר לבנות בתים חדשים לאוכלוסייתו הגדלה, כך שניתן לבנות רק בתחומי אזורC  ובאישורו של המינהל האזרחי.

המינהל האזרחי נותן אישורים מעטים כאלה, כך שביתו של תיאסיר וביתו של אחיו, שנמצא לידו, נבנו ללא אישור; נגד בתים אלה תלוי ועומד צו הריסה מאז 2008. תיאסיר ואחיו נלחמים נגד הצו באמצעים משפטיים ומוציאים כסף רב על כך. הרשות הפלסטינית אמרה לתיאסיר ב- 2001 להשלים את בניית הבית ולחיות בו. תיאסיר לקח הלוואות כדי לעשות זאת. עכשיו הוא אומר ש"הרשות הפלסטינית לא עושה כלום עבורנו. היא לא נותנת לנו כלום. עדיף לנו להסתפח לישראל ולחיות תחת שלטונה".  ילדיו של תיאסיר אינם הולכים לגנון. הם מתחילים ללמוד בגיל 6, ועליהם ללכת לבית הספר. אשתו הינה בוגרת תיכון, אך אין לה אפשרויות תעסוקה ב- א-סאווייה. היא מטפלת בילדים. רוב שירותי הבריאות  נמצאים בשכם; רופא מגיע לכפר פעם בשבוע, ואין אחות בכפר. לתושבי הכפר יש מספיק מים לצריכה עצמית, אך אין להם מספיק מים לחקלאות. למשפחתו של תיאסיר  שלושה דונמים של מטע זיתים.

  11.30 - בידיה נהג המונית שדיברנו איתו מורשה עכשיו לנסוע בכל רחבי השטחים שבשליטה פלסטינית., אך הוא לא הצליח להשיג היתר לנוע בישראל. מעט מאוד אישורים כאלה ניתנים. לנהג המונית יש שטח אדמה ברשותו, שהגדר חוסמת את הגישה אליו ואין לו היתר להגיע אליה.

הפלאפל, הצ'יפס והסלטים שאכלנו בבידיה היו טעימים מאוד

08:15 - Shaked-Tura checkpoint

Three vehicles and two pedestrians cross over from the SeamLine zone into the West Bank. There was no one on the opposite side. One driver asked me to talk with people from the radio station "The voice of peace" who had visited Daher-el-Malec at the SeamLine zone. People in the village expressed their hardships and asked that the checkpoint would stay open for a longer time.

I spoke about school children who go through the checkpoint and of limitations of quantities of foods allowed in. For example - one brought a slaughtered sheep for a wedding and was forced to divide it to 10 portions asking 10 different individuals to walk it through the checkpoint. In that same way they bring in large quantities of Pita bread. Young soldiers have no idea of quantities of foods needed for large families and suspect that the residents lie to them. The military decides how much oil the olive trees yield. Some of the residents own olive groves on the other side of the fence but the authorities limit the amount of oil that they are allowed to bring into the SeamLine zone.

09:10 - Rihan-Barta'a checkpoint

12(!) trucks waited for inspection in front of the vehicles' inspection post. At the Palestinian car park new toilets are been built. A new "Kiosk" was opened at the park, an initiative of a Palestinian from the West Bank. Drivers set unemployed, as usual at this time of day. Very few cross over, mostly are merchants who distinct themselves by their private cars. During our stay there, not even a single car filled up with passengers going to Jenin. 10:30 - We left the checkpoint.