Arbitrariness, e.g. an arbitrary decision

Translator:  Charles K.

Waiting for God and the third intifada

13:00 - Habla

Palestinian women prostitutes in Israel???

A Palestinian man (who seemed to have been speaking for a long time; we arrived late):  …The day will come when they’ll be trampled underfoot.  You’ll see.  What kind of world is this? – I need permission to access my own land?!

“Now the Jew is in charge.  Not forever.  The soldiers are Satan’s emissaries.  They’re the emissaries of Satan in the world.  There will be an explosion in Nablus.  In Qalqilya.  There will be explosions everywhere.  People here have no food.  People have gone through and haven’t returned.  Women have gone through and haven’t returned.”  Seeing our uncomprehending expression, he explains:  “Women crossed to Israeland became prostitutes.  The time will come when they won’t be silent.  A woman who leaves her children – who’ll feed them if she gets sick?  They’ll learn to steal.  To do bad things.  You’re forcing us into it.  The Jews should… [curses], the Arabs should also… [different curse].  God won’t help us because we don’t heed him.  I read the Koran – the Moslems once ruled.  When we heeded God.  God asks the same things from Moslems, from Jews and from Christians as well.  Read the Koran.  No one helps us.  Only God will help when we heed him.  People in Africahave no water.  I still do.  The poor, wretched Africans.”

 13:10  The school bus returns.

Our friend prefers a jumpy Natan Zehavi and Carmela Menashe.

A Ramin, the Bedouin village which exists only so its inhabitants can be harassed and its buildings demolished.

We brought clothing for families whose buildings had been demolished.  “At 11 last night, while we slept, soldiers came and woke us, asked for our documents.  We must complain to the higher-ups.  UNRWA and the Red Cross provided tents and food for the children.  A week ago, someone from the Civil Administration at Beit Al Amar: Next month I’m issuing you a demolition order.  The tent is also illegal.  They don’t let us live.  We work in Alfei Menashe.  NIS250 per day, as gardeners, in construction.  The family moved here in 1960 from Beersheba.  The sheep had no grass.  Now there are few sheep, no grazing land.”  He doesn’t listen to Arab radio stations.  But he listens faithfully to Natan Zehavi and Carmela Menashe.  “That Carmela – someone whose head is clogged, she’ll talk it open.  Maybe you have Channel 10’s phone number.  Maybe they’ll help if something happens.”

“Once I thought: Jews and Arabs – brothers until death.  Today – if only there would be an intifada.”

15:10 – Ras Atiya

[A resident of Azzun described in detail the shortest route to Ras Atiya.  How astonished he was to learn we’re not allowed to enter Habla.  His expression said:  I’ve never heard of anything so ridiculous.]

A new acquaintance, a resident of Ras Atiya, tells us we’ve come at a difficult time.  An elderly man has been killed.  They’re afraid more people will be killed.  [The background – a blood feud; no one know how it will end].  The Palestinian police can’t do their job and protect people’s lives because their mobility is restricted by the occupying army.

The army enters the village from time to time and prevents people from accessing their lands.  They sometimes come at two in the morning, at three.  They sound an alarm.  The soldiers’ faces are painted black.  If they catch someone, he could be detained for three hours.

The village has 1900 inhabitants.  Hundreds applied for permits during the olive harvest, but only 25(!) were granted.  Children also need a permit.  There’s no alternative – some abandon the crop, others pay half the crop to those who have permits.  The permits are granted arbitrarily.  Some get a permit for three months, others for a year, “depending on how they feel, how it was in bed with the wife.”  Landowners can’t carry out other agricultural activities because of a lack of a supportive economic infrastructure.  No one will compensate them for damages caused by weather (unlike in proper countries).  So someone who erects a greenhouse that’s carried off by the wind has lost everything.  He hasn’t yet even repaid his NIS12,000 loan.  Some have abandoned farming because of the miniscule return – NIS5 for a crate of tomatoes.

People say the magnetic cards are phony.  They’re only for the occupier’s benefit, so they can get a current photo and fingerprint.  Renewing a magnetic card costs NIS120.  The scanners are carcinogenic.

The most obvious fact is how many locals have been blacklisted by the Shabak.  That outrages and astonishes people we speak to because not even one stone was thrown here.  There’s no way to find out why someone was blacklisted.  The four people we spoke to have all been blacklisted.  Lawyers charge them very high fees, promise nothing and do nothing.  Who can afford to throw NIS32,000 to the winds?  Sometimes it turns out that the police have nothing against someone, but that’s not the case with the Shabak.  And, as you know, the Shabak doesn’t have to account to anyone.  The usual response:  “You’re blacklisted for 99 years.”  There are many collaborators in the village (and elsewhere as well).  Someone who refuses to collaborate can expect to be blacklisted permanently.

One man says:  “I worked in Israeluntil 2000.  I was a contractor.  Life was good.  I worked during the day and enjoyed myself at night.  I loved the Tel Aviv promenade.  I loved Jews so much I wanted to convert.  I once said, ‘We’re brothers unto death.’  Today – they can…[curses]. I hope an intifada will erupt.  I’m already 30, and still haven’t done anything with my life.  Go to sleep and wake up, go to sleep and wake up - that’s a life?  That’s no life.  The collaborator turned my life black.  I’d kill that informer if I knew who he was.  The whole problem is when you’re not a collaborator.  The terror is your fault.  When there’s nothing to eat, why are you surprised that someone will blow themselves up so their family receives $100,000.  You don’t want security.  In my heart I say:  ‘Lord, bring back the intifada.’”

Our interlocutor refuses to return with us via the absurd route we took.  He insists on taking us a faster way.  No one stopped us.  As he promised.

.

13:40

  Habla – The gate is open and people crossed with no problems.

14:35

  Huwwara – no problems

15:35

  Za’tara – Soldiers asked people to get out and inspected their vehicles and took the passengers’ ID cards to check them.

15:50

  Azzun Atma – When we arrived we were amazed to see a very long line of workers that stretched across the road – about 60 people.  The line was contained between plastic barriers.  Three soldiers “kept order,” that God forbid someone would get out of the line, and if someone moved the soldier rudely pushed him back in line with the plastic barrier.  It was really dangerous because vehicles sped madly along the road.  We approached the checkpoint commander, who looked like a settler.  He said he can’t do anything, it’s the job of the military police, all we do is keep order and guard the soldiers.  We spoke to the workers who said it’s like this every day, and yesterday was worse.  We telephoned the humanitarian office a number of times; they kept telling us they were taking care of it.  Of course, we didn’t remain quiet; we yelled at the soldiers who didn’t allow us to approach the window to speak to the military policeman.  We threatened to call the humanitarian office, but it didn’t help.  After about half an hour about six more soldiers arrived as reinforcements, and we thought that “salvation” had arrived, but instead of helping they hemmed the workers in even more.  When we asked why they aren’t helping to inspect they said they’re not authorized to do so, they came to guard the soldiers because yesterday their lives were in danger.  The workers became disorderly and the soldier pushed them, but the same checkpoint commander who said he had no authority to conduct inspections began pulling adults from the line and checking them. The scene was terrible and I called Chana Barag  in despair.  She wasn’t home but she called the humanitarian office and told them she was`going to send a letter of complaint.

At 17:45 it was already dark, workers arrived one at a time and the line shortened to about 30 people.  We decided to leave.

N.B.:  A large, uncovered garbage receptacle stood near the line and near where the soldiers stood.  It was full of flies, and something inside stank terribly; the stench was unbearable.

I beg all of you to observe there between 15:30 – 17:00.  I apologize that this report is so long.  I haven’t been able to forget – it was so painful.

Translation: Bracha B.A.

06:15 A'anin Agricultural Checkpoint

The olive harvest is still in progress.  Dozens of workers have already crossed through the far gate.  Perhaps it is coincidence that they have no bags.

Ripe persimmons are scattered on the ground between the fences.  The person who brought them was not allowed to bring them through the checkpoint.  Evidently persimmons and bags of children's clothing constitute danger to the security of the State of Israel and the IDF, the guardians, are not taking any chances.  We collected as much of the fruit as we could and gave it to passers-by. 

At 07:10 the yellow van came to take the Bedouin children to school in Um-A Reihan. We left while there were still a few people at the checkpoint and the soldiers will close it after the last person has gone through.

07:15 – Shaked-Tura Checkpoint

Most of the people are going from the West Bank towards the seamline zone.  The children from the "lone house" pass through on a horse-drawn wagon on their way to school.   Students and mothers with young children cross through to the West Bank and have to wade in the mud that has accumulated by the stone wall.  Another barbed wire fence and gate have been added in the direction of the West Bank.  From here it is difficult to see what their purpose is. The occupation runs like a well-oiled machine. As they say, everything is OK.

07:40 – Reihan Barta'a Checkpoint

A lot of workers arrive, on their way to work in Barta'a.  Bored drivers are waiting for a job to do. Several people were not allowed to go through to Barta'a and were sent back.  A man with belts for sale in Barta'a is sent back, puts them down somewhere, and goes back to the terminal.   Another man arrives with a container of olive oil for his restaurant in Barta'a, but according to the authorities it is a wholesale quantity and he is not allowed to bring it.  Now he has to go to Salem and get a permit to bring it through – wasting the entire work day as well as money that will not be returned.   A doctor with a bag of medicines who has a permit is sent back.  A man with pocketbooks that he could not sell wants to return them to the store in Barta'a is also sent back, but after S.'s intervention they are both allowed through.   
6 vans are waiting on the road to be checked.

We left at 08:30.

10:45 – Maale Efrayim Checkpoint

Manned, all Palestinian vehicles inspected.

11:00 In the area between the Gitit and Mekhora colonies, there are newly tended fields, by the settlers of course, for about a year now. The Palestinians do not tend fields at all in this region, as they have no water. About half a year ago they did grow squashes in hothouses, but the crop was later abandoned on the roadside. Now their hothouses are deserted and broken. Next to these, probably tended by those same settlers, a field lies green and lush, and at this hottest time of day, the sprinklers merrily spray water a-plenty in all directions. At the same time, Palestinians are prevented any access to local water supply and are forced to drive great distances and purchase water in tanks, in contrast to the waste we witness.

11:45 – Hamra Checkpoint – no vehicle traffic. A huge bulldozer parked in the middle of the checkpoint.

Gochia Checkpoint wide open
Palestinians tell us that tanks cross this point often and one of them has broken/twisted the metal gate. It now remains open to enable tank passage. Until two weeks ago “security needs” prevented Palestinians of the Jordan Valley from traveling to the center of their daily lives in the West Bank hills, except for specific days and hours, and with special permits and tight supervision of the Israeli army. So what has changed? How is it suddenly possible for them to cross without inspection? And if everyone may get through from here westwards into the West Bank, un-inspected, then what is the security point of all the other checkpoints?

We drove on to Al Farasiya, having heard just this morning of house demolitions there.

Well, house is a bit overstated. In the middle of an encampment with five structures, at 9 a.m. a military bulldozer demolished the sheep shed, and now the sheep lie exposed in the scathing sun. Amazing how the army chooses one structure, probably arbitrarily (so it appears), and demolishes it alone. The woman complains that they hardly have any food as it is, and not this… What will they do? The son, who speaks Hebrew, tells us that less than a month ago, on September 20^th, agents of the Civil Administration of the Occupation arrived and handed them a demolition order for the large tent that stood where now the sheep shed had been. The family dismantled the tent in view of the officials and left only the small sheep shed intact. But the officer told them, as the son says: “We don’t care – we only want you to go away!”

We met EAPPI volunteers from Yanoun, who told us that last night, settlers uprooted 150 young olive trees at the village of Kusra.

We drove about 5 km north to Al Hamma, a small encampment by the roadside. Two days ago the army demolished their cowshed. The people weren’t home but the cowshed is already re-erected.

At 13:30 we decided to take advantage of the open Gochia gate and drive westward. I called an acquaintance who lives in Atuf, near Tamun village, in the hills, about 5 km south-west of the gate. He lives on the hillside overlooking the beautiful fertile valley of Al Baqa (south of Ras al Ahmar). His home has water and electricity supplied by the PA, as the southern hill is considered Area B, but downhill in the valley it’s Area C and there’s nothing. In the valley there is a green field whose owner has dug an ‘unlicensed’ well (no permits are issued in Area C), and of course there is  a demolition order pending.

People told us that every few days two tanks enter the area through Gochia Checkpoint, climb the hill north of the Al Bawa valley, and open fire over the heads of the tent-dwellers in the valley. These run for their lives, horrified every time it happens. In fact they start running as soon as they see the tanks crossing Gochia. According to the map I hold the hill is marked as a firing zone, but not the valley. And anyway, firing tanks over the heads of residents, including children, women and the elderly?? Probably another cruel way to make them leave.

Bethlehem- Checkpoint 300:  we arrived at 07:15 and found a madhouse. Those outside already told us that the crossing was very difficult today. People have been waiting for hours.

We entered the terminal; three windows were open, with no congestion in the exit hall. There was yelling from the other side; we understood that the laborers were extremely jumpy.

It’s easy to understand why: after four days of involuntary vacation, Sunday finally arrives and people can go back to work. But no! The lengthy time it took to cross made many laborers retrace their steps because they wouldn’t get to work on time. Everyone was on their cell-phones to notify their employers that they’re “stuck,” and apparently were told that their rides would no longer wait for them. Tension continued to increase, as did the shouting. We (Sylvia and Chana Barag) also made many calls, but nothing changed as a result. Only one booth was open on the Bethlehem side, and crossing went extremely slowly.

We received conflicting information regarding the hour at which the checkpoint opened: one person said it opened only at 06:30; Itzik, the policeman, who suddenly appeared from within said it opened at 05:15. The response, or lack of response, from those inside (the checkpoint commander, for example), who sounded “surprised” when we told them of the uproar outside, of course, only a pretense, because the shouting is audible from a distance. The general indifference is astonishing in its crudeness, evidence of the insensitivity of those at the top of the pyramid, in this case the terminal commander.

At 07:30 there was a loud noise from the other side, perhaps to frighten the laborers. Who knows what it was.

A group of Muslim women with children comes out with permits (of course). They’re going on a trip to Ramat-Gan and are excited finally to see the ocean!!  The children in particular are excited.

07:50  - terrible shouts on the Bethlehem side. What’s happening? Who knows? The hall suddenly fills, but meanwhile one window has closed, leaving only two open.

08:15 - now the hall is very congested, but still only two windows are open. People are jittery, annoyed and desperate.

08:25 - a third window opens.

08:30 - people who went through go back to where they came from.

08:35 - reports of a lot of people outside, on the Bethlehem side.

08:45 - after a frightening silence on the unseen side, the hall fills again. With three windows open, crossing goes fairly quickly.

09:00 - the other side is still full, as is the hall. We leave. It seems that most people will soon have crossed.

09:10 - we sit in the car, see Palestinian bus No. 24 leave the station filled with laborers.

A very bad day at Checkpoint 300!

Etzion DCL: at 09:30 only one person is in the waiting room. There are apparently a few people within the office. A few minutes later one Palestinian laborer who apparently went to work in Tzur Hadassah – with a permit for Beitar Illit – came back . He was caught by the Border Police who confiscated his permit; now he has a problem. We gave him Chaya A.’s phone number.

Translator:  Charles K.

13:55 Habla agricultural gate No. 1393 –Maybe the wind blew shut the entry gate to Habla, and maybe not.  In any case, a vehicle whose passengers entered the rooms for inspection continues on its way only after they confirm that they’re allowed to open the gate.  Soldiers examine the interior of the empty vehicle and the driver takes it to the second gate, which is still open, toward Israel.

A guy who apparently has been interrogated appears from somewhere; he’s now permitted to go home.

 At the last minute we see a horse and wagon carrying two Palestinians and a great deal of scrap metal.  They arrive to enter Habla – and immediately make a 180 degree turn (that is, back to Israel) without anyone saying anything.  The soldiers, meanwhile, close the gate because it’s 2 PM.  The Palestinians tell us they’re not allowed to bring scrap metal into Palestine!  The soldiers tell us that those are orders from the DCO.

We later see the whole load on Route 55.  Maybe they’ll try to come in through the Eliyahu crossing.

14:10  Eliyahu crossing –A roomy parking lot has been built at the eastern entrance to the checkpoint, and a structure which looks like a pedestrian terminal surrounded, for now, by a wall.

Reservists at the checkpoint inspect an Israeli vehicle.  Border police soldiers and two police cars are present.

All along Route 55, a distance of some kilometers, from Azzun to Al Funduq, Israeli flags fly from every electric pole.

(The settlements of Ma’aleh Shomron, Ginot Shomron and Karney Shomron lie east of the road.)

14:25 An army jeep comes toward us between Qedumim and Al Funduq.

14:30 An army pickup truck comes toward us between Gilad Ranch and Jit Junction. 

14:48 Huwwara checkpoint –A soldier guards the hitchhiking stop in the direction of the settlement of Bracha, a soldier in the guard tower opposite the hitchhiking stop for those leaving Bracha.  Signs supporting Migron hang on the fence next to the hitchhiking stop and on the fence of the Huwwara checkpoint – “The decline stops at Migron,” etc.  We see no soldiers at the checkpoint itself. 

14:50 Awarta checkpoint –The metal arm is closed – no one enters or leaves.

14:55 Beit Furik checkpoint –We saw no soldiers at the checkpoint

15:25An army jeep comes toward us between Za’tara and Huwwara.

15:26 Za’tara checkpoint –Border Police soldiers stand at the checkpoint but don’t conduct inspections.  There’s a little congestion.

On the checkpoint fences here as well there’s an unimpeded display of slogans on large banners expressing the settlers’ point of view about the evacuation of Migron,.

15:40 Shomron crossing –Employees of the “Land Crossings Authority” inspect people entering Israel.

15:53 Azzun Atma checkpoint –Laborers wait on line, but there’s no congestion.

Once again long lines (we estimate over 200 people) extend to outside the covered waiting area, and a large crowd (of 30-40) stands in front of the Humanitarian Gate when we arrive at 6:15. A familiar colleague from the World Council of Churches’ EAPPI program who has been at the checkpoint since 5:00 informs us (and we have no reason to doubt him, as we have seen an earlier instance of the same with our own eyes) that the woman soldier responsible for opening the turnstiles was in a deep sleep before the shift changed at 6 a.m. – and thus the heavy backup this morning. We call the Humanitarian Hotline and the DCO to ask about the absence of a Civil Administration officer -- and thus the Humanitarian Gate not being operated – and one arrives soon thereafter.  Speaking fluent Arabic, he queries every male at the Humanitarian Gate about his age before letting groups of people though. For the most part, however, the gate is opened each time about 7-10 people are gathered in front of it. In contrast, the three turnstiles are opened less often. And although all five checking stations are open, the long lines leading into the cage-like passages persist until well after 7:00. A man whose cell number we took at 6:30, when he was standing at the end of one of the three lines, subsequently told us that it took him 55 minutes to traverse the checkpoint. When we leave at 7:15, all three passages remain full.

From what we could see (and were told) upon arrival, the lack of supervision – at least of the soldier responsible for opening the turnstiles – prior to the arrival of a CA officer sometime after 6:00 (and that sometimes only after we have called the DCO) continues to be the source of early-morning problems. We have commented on this a number of times, to no avail. Can it be that no one cares?

Translation:  Suzanne O.

Id el Fitr – Festival.  Very few coming and going.

Habla, agricultural gate

7:25 a.m. 

A vehicle is parked.  Many soldiers are present.  4 people leave the inspection building, dressed in their 'Sunday best', "Going to the Police Station" (?)  7 minutes later the roadblock gate opens and the parked car goes on its way.  The reason for the vehicle being held up is a mistake in the vehicle licence number in the driver's permit so they had to wait for the vehicle owners to arrive and take it across.

There is light traffic to and from the roadblock of cars, a tractor and people.  The gate will remain open until 9:00 a.m., open again at 12:00 p.m., until 1:00 p.m. and in the evening from 5:45 p.m., until 7:00 p.m.

Eliyahu Crossing

6:05 a.m. 

Clear on both sides.

Azzun

8:10 a.m. 

The yellow iron barrier in the village is open.  Youngsters sitting near it said that everything is fine, no problems.

Jayyus

8:25 a.m. 

The shops are closed, there are no people around.  It rained the whole night and now it is just drizzling.

We heard about a new Shabak commander, his name is Rafik, (we wonder if his ethnic group gets privileges for his devoted service) and he sets up a spot roadblock [once every few days, several times a day] at the entrance to the village.  He takes young boys of 14, 15, 16 into the Shabak cars and coax them to become informers through threats or enticement (I'll give you a work permit and entrance to Israel – promises he obviously cannot fulfil at his level) so that they co-operate with the Shabak and inform on the inhabitants.  Using suitable pressure it is possible to get information even if it is lies but this makes no difference to the Shabak, and then they frighten us saying there are warnings.  (See the article published today in the newspaper Ha'aretz about Zigmunt Bauman ' Israelis are afraid of Peace'.)  The inhabitants complain of looting of 9600 dunams which were plundered including 7 wells for the settlement Zufin, close to Kibbutz Ayal, Kokhav Yair and Tsur Natan.  The council was informed that the fence will be moved westward and they will returne2600 dunams, plus one well only, to be divided between the other adjacent villages: Kafr Jammal and Falamiya.

For them to get to their lands in order to work them there is only one gate (927) at Jayyus, which opens for just half an hour three times a day.  The location of the gate takes up a lot of their time getting to their lands.

We drove to Falamiya via Kafr Jammal.  The roads are empty, the shops are closed.  We reached gate 919 at Falamiya.

We met the head of the village at the dividing fence (a Hadj (pilgrim) who has been to Mecca 4 times) who hosted us.  On the security system  road two vehicles drive up and down, they observe us and report on their wireless.  Gate 919 opens just for the olive picking season 3 times a day: 5:00 – 5:30 a.m., 12:00 – 12:30 p.m., and 4:00 to 4:30 p.m.  The final time should be noted: this is when it is still possible to return to the village – there is still plenty of light and much work to do for the olive picking.  We recommend going to the gate during the olive picking season to check on the conditions for crossing while it is functioning.

We drove to see the agricultural gate at Falamiya, gate no. 927.  The gate is open for cars and agricultural machinery.  The inhabitants who have lands beyond the fence must, each period (a month, two months, three, a year – depending on the preference of those allotting permits) request crossing permits at the gate and they can cross only via this gate to their lands, even if prolongs their journey greatly.

We returned via Kur, Baqat al Hatab, Hajja to Al Funduq. At Al Funduq there is heavy traffic and the shops are open.

We drove on Road 5066 in the direction of Emanuel and saw a roadblock at the exit from Haris and a queue of about 10 cars which didn't move at all for some 5 minutes.  We went over and, after the roadblock commander confirmed who we are, the queue moved quickly and disappeared.  One of the drivers told us that he had waited half an hour "just for nothing".  It would be worthwhile for us to turn up there from time to time.

Our recommendation:  to set up patrols on the roads between the villages.