Nuaman (Mazmuria)

From 14:30 till 17:30

The presence of guests shows us details which we no longer notice; the condition of the  road connecting Har Homa with the area of Nokdim (which is unique among the roads in the West bank). The name given to that area, “East Gush Etzion” (what relationship does it have to Gush Etzion?); the unbelievable length of the Efrat settlement.

Nuaman CP: at the Mazmoriya (Nuaman) CP we told the soldier that we wanted to proceed to Nuaman, he only shrugged his shoulders and there was no problem getting into this sad village. There was no one around, from far we saw a young girl playing in the yard of her house. We noticed that two more ruins had been renovated and became homes (even if construction is not allowed, apparently renovation is possible). In the center of the village a kind of tower has been erected with loudspeakers at the top (to spoil the rest of the residents of neighboring Har Homa?). We continued through the pastoral landscape of the Palestinian villages and turned right towards Efrat and Gush Etzion proper.

Etzion DCL:  at the parking lot of the DCL were three or four vehicles. In the waiting room was only one man who didn’t speak Hebrew nor English and we were unable to find out what he was doing there. What a difference from the situation on Mondays. Is it really not possible to control the pressure and amount of people there? There was no point is staying there, we only explained to our guests what purpose the DCL serves and how it works (or not).

We returned to the North and entered the construction site of Elazar just at the time when the workers wind their way at the end of the day on a dirt path to get home without entering the settlement which they build but are not allowed to enter. On the hill across we again saw the beginning of the construction of the new Netser settlement. It is again amazing to watch how we continue settling the West Bank and create a reality which makes the establishment of a Palestinian state - which our leaders continue to proclaim they intend to found and "cannot, only because of them" – not feasible.

Bethlehem– Checkpoint 300: we continued to CP 300 and on the way entered the Rachel Tomb enclave. The place looks increasingly unreal; a huge kitschy painting shows the place how it used to be in bright colors next to it a place to light candles, like at the Makhpela Cave. Beyond the huge wall appear some Bethlehem houses, some of which just look imprisoned, since cameras are pointing to their windows all hours of the day.

At CP 300 the Palestinians cross fast, they are no longer checked at the windows, only one of which serves those who enter Jerusalem. And armed soldiers no longer patrol above. That’s now the routine.

Bethlehem - Checkpoint 300, from 2:00 till 5:00 PM:

The soldier at the Mazmoriya CP had no idea who we were and promptly agreed to let us go into Nuaman. The village looked deserted, only some girls returned from school. On our way out we met the Mukhtar in his transporter who invited us to come in, but when we refused, he agreed to discuss matters with us outside his house. The inhabitants feel like in prison and their fate still has not been decided. Their relatives can never visit, because no one is allowed into the village. On the last holiday Id El Fitr there was a curfew in addition, because it coincided with Rosh Hashana, so they could not even leave via El Khas to Bethlehem, etc. Whenever soldiers are being changed at the CP there is unnecessary harassment and he has to call the commander frequently. The tiny grocery store in the village had to close down, because it had trouble getting produce into the village. Even fodder for the sheep is a problem and is dropped along the road, since it is not allowed to pass the CP before being searched. Last week someone’s new refrigerator was held up for a whole day at the CP. The children are also treated harshly while their schoolbags are being scrutinized.

 Etzion DCL: we had not seen a queue outside the building for along time. This is the day the office deals with requests from Tekoa and surroundings and due to the curfew of the Succot Holidays and the fact that three times the Wednesdays happened to be eve of holidays there had been huge crowds in the morning. Some people told us they had been waiting since 5:30 in the morning and had not even been placed on any list. Apparently the first 150 pushers had been allowed entry and the other people had been told to go home and return next week. This didn’t register, so against better wisdom the younger ones were pushing against the turnstiles while the older men waited on the chairs or outside. Two humanitarian cases had trouble to enter, after having gotten permission, because they had to push their way through the thugs. We called a number of times and finally also contacted Hanna B. when nothing seemed to happen. One of the older men volunteered to draw up a list, which didn’t include those who refused to move away from the turnstiles. Then the girl at the window, with whom we had spoken beforehand about the humanitarian cases, announced that the officer Eyal would come down. Indeed two officers with drawn rifles appeared. They first ignored the list, stating that the next day there would be huge crowds from Beit Jalla and they could not deal with backlogs from the previous day, but then they mellowed and agreed to work an hour later, till 6:00 that day and allow fifteen men from the list inside and from then on every morning afterwards ten following names from the list. The men calmed down and we complimented Eyal, the officer who had spoken to them in fluent Arabic and suggested they come down more often to calm the frustrations. At the Rachel Passage - Checkpoint 300  there were no lines, apparently most workers had already passed. 

At the Rachel Passage there were no lines, apparently most workers had already passed.

14.30 – 18.30
 We wanted to show our guest, who is not acquainted with the complexity of life in the occupied territories, as much as possible, starting in Wallage where the work of building the new wall is progressing in an unbelievable pace. The whole route of the wall can be seen from far away; a wide wound in the rural landscape is dividing the village in two. In certain parts one can see a fence and the scaffolding where the concrete for the wall will be poured into. The large and fancy new houses of the nearby settlement of Har Gilo, make a terrible contrast to the sad circumstances of the village.

We drove on the newly paved road along Beit Jalla and looked from above at the enormous, cold and alienated car checkpoint across the road from a pastorally farmed landscape.
Through the tunnels and via Har Homa we drove to Nuaman. The commander of the checkpoint there was worried by our request to enter the village and asked us whether we have been there before. When we replied positively he made us promise that we know this is our own responsibility. The village was as sleepy as always and no one was seen out side. The houses of Har Homa hover from above and seem to threaten the very existence of Nuaman.

We continued along the "Lieberman road" all the way back to route 60 and from there to the Etzion DCL. There was not a single car in the parking lot and no one in the waiting hall. A few minutes later a man in quest of a permit came in. The window was deserted and only after a few shouts from us a friendly soldier, who even spoke Arabic, arrived. A few more people came in and the sight of the swinging gate, the armored glass window, where the Palestinians have to bend in order to talk to the soldier behind it, astonished and depressed our guest (have we gotten used to the sight?).

From there via the Hussan road to Beitar Ilit, what a strange country this is! The building goes on and the town grows and takes on an enormous size.

At the Bethlehem CP only two windows functioned. A few minutes after our arrival the lines became very long. We asked the civilian guard if a third window could not be opened. His very unfriendly answer was that no one can man another window since this is their meal break (at 17.30? do they all have to eat at the same time? Does it have to be exactly when most workers are on their way home after work?). In contrast to the unpleasant behavior of the civilian guard, out came a police officer who smiled in a friendly way to every body in the line and quickly helped examine their papers on the way out. The line dissipated within a few minutes.   

From 2:30 till 5:30 PM, Nuaman (Mazmuria): the soldiers at the Mazmuria CP had no idea who we were, nor did they understand why we might want to enter Nuaman, but they had no objection and the gate was open. We didn’t see a soul in the village, but noted that much more land has been cultivated. There were some children playing in the playground built by Taayush who greeted us happily. Suddenly from the house of the Mukhtara voice shouted at us asking us what we were doing.

The Mukhtar's son came out and told us he thought we were one of those real estate sharks who have been coming to ‘inspect’ the premises lately. They act as if they own the place and frighten the children because they drive dangerously. He was told to report these instances and the number plates of the cars.

Before we reached Efrata we took what looked like a circular road around it to the right, well paved and empty. It stopped before the northern entrance of the settlement where a number of cars with Palestinians number plates were parked and we had to turn back. We also inspected the massive construction and earth moving going on in the Elazar settlement where the new houses are growing steadily and heavy equipment is used to prepare the land for additional apartment buildings in the ‘Gush Katif’ area.

Wallaje: We reached Wallaje via the Beit Jalla Road and saw how the vast track of land is being deforested and flattened. Near the house of our elderly friend A. red markings and blue ribbons indicate how many more olive trees (and the graves of his parents) will be sacrificed to ensure the security of Israel. We went to his house and learned that the markings had been placed that morning, despite the fact that a polite Druze officer had some days ago promised that the graves would be taken into consideration.  A’s brother, the journalist from Beit Jallah had come to inspect the future damage. Nir Hasson the Ha'aretz correspondent who had reported on the issue had promised to come and visit, bu thad not yet been there. We suggested we ask him to come along with us next week. We didn’t stay for coffee and left under heavy protest.

Off to the house of the younger A. whom we had not told that we were coming and therefore didn’t meet him at home. Fortunately he was at work. He does not have a steady job.   We saw that a new house has materialized very close to his, much to the regret of A’s wife who had become used to the peace and quiet and now feels threatened by the proximity of A’s cousin with whom he doesn’t get along too well. She told us that a demonstration had been planned for the next morning (Thursday), but that she would not participate, although she sympathizes – she is afraid and for good reason. The young boy from the village has been released. The entire incident had been an accident, he had slipped and fallen on top of a soldier who had prompted the soldiers to beat him up with their rifle butts and spray gas into his eyes. But, said F, he should have been in school and not at the demonstration in the first place, which of course doesn’t justify the way he was treated. His parents intend to go to court on his behalf. 

General conditions: cold, rainy. Duration: 2:30 till 5:00 PM. 

2:50 PM, Etzion DCL: a few Palestinian cars were parked on theparking lot. One man accompanied by his young daughter was telling us, that he waswaiting for his wife. He was a Hebrew speaking Israeli Arab, working as a driverfor an Israeli Electric Company. His wife was from Beit Jalla.. She wasrequesting a certificate for a visit to an Arab hospital in EastJerusalem  in order to get there a special vaccination forone of her kids. She was already over an hour in the office with one of the officials. Channah reported the situation to Daliah. Shortly thereafter, the wife came out from the office, telling us very happily that she succeeded in getting the needed permission to pass.

There were no more people waiting for us. We left at 3:45PM.

Nabi Yunis: the checkpoint was empty. Few cars were parked at the parking lot. We were warming up with acup of tea.

(Har Homma) Nuaman - Mazmuria:  the checkpoint was empty. Three soldiers were on guard.

4:40 PM, Bethlehem - Checkpoint 300:  at our arrival the rush hour wasalready over. Four counters were still active. Very few tourists were passing ontheir way to Jerusalem.Not many workers and employees were arriving to pass.

From 12:30 till 3:30 PM.

Nuaman, Al Aroub, Etzion DCL and Sheikh Saed

We hadn’t been to Nuaman for a long time and after discussing the matterwith Tamar A. she suggested we call Efrat B.-Z. of Ta’ayush who is involved inthe village. She told us to talk to Youssef Darawi. However, the latter was atwork and could only see us on Friday-mornings. We were not allowed to enter thevillage, but finally the commander of the Mazmoriya CP agreed to consult hiscommanders and after a short wait, we were allowed to enter. The playground atthe entrance constructed by Ta’ayush looks lovely. Fortunately the dangerousdeep hole has been fenced in and will no longer constitute a safety hazard. Wedidn’t meet anyone and continued without thinking towards Etzion and thensouthward. The watchtowers in Al Aroub have been equipped with specialobservation covers and it was hard to discover how exactly they work. We didn’tsee any soldiers. At the Etzion roundabout and hitchhiking points a number ofsoldiers were stationed.

At the DCL two women and a man were waiting. They said that the othershad left, because they had been told that the ‘machine’ was broken and thatthey should return tomorrow. However, after a little while the soldier asked uspolitely whether we could find out why the waiting Palestinians had come. Afterwe told him he asked them (again very politely) to come in (one by one) andthen a fourth person entered too. Only one younger man, a student, was stillwaiting since the morning for his appointment with the captain of the Security.Then our colleagues whose Bethlehemstint had just begun walked in and we realized that we had come to the wrong‘beat’. They tried to call Danny without success to speed up the procedure withthe Security and we left.

In Sheikh Saed a lot of the garbage has been covered by sand, but theCP is active as usual and apparently despite rumors, to which we ourselves mayhave contributed, it has not been abolished.   

2:30 PM till 5:10 PM

3:10 PM, Etzion DCL:  four carswith Palestinian plates are parked on the parking lot. No person visible. The waiting hallempty.  A soldier stands in the cabin behind theturnstiles.

3:30 PM, Nabi Yunis:  a lot of taxis waiting, We arewarming up with excellent tea.

Maz Moriah - Nuaman: no traffic.

4:30 PM, Bethlehem - Checkpoint 300:  empty hall. One civil guard. After some busses were arriving the hall was filling up.Four counters got opened. As usual on this side of the checkpoint  only fingerprints and papers were checked  fast. On the Bethlehem side it must have been different. A gentleman was addressing us, telling us that he had to wait for one hour, that there were mothers with babies and young children standing in the queue.

Afternoonshift, 2:30 till 5:00 PM.   Nice weather, one day before Christmas. Christians are trying to get permits in order to visit their relatives in Israel. 

3:00 till 3:30 PM,  Etzion DCL: today the situation is different from other visits at the same place and the same time. Today there were many more cars than usual ( 11 cars with Palestinian numbers , one with TV equipment,  and one with an Israeli number ), all parked in the parking lot. Inside the building in the big and heated waiting room (with an open door) were 2 Palestinians waiting for their permits to visit Israeli relatives  during Christmas. All the other claimants were invisible and could not be heard. It was as if they should be hidden from the eyes of  observer.

Because of this situation we did not help anybody as we could not see any passers. The soldier behind the turnstile greeted us in a friendly manner.  

Nuaman (Mas Moriah or Maavar Har-Homa): we were the only car crossing the checkpoint at about 4:00 PM. 

4:20 till 4:50 PM, Bethlehem - Checkpoint 300: workers were going home (almost no tourists at the checkpoint). Four  counters were open and the soldiers were working properly. 

At one counter the people were showing their papers by entering them into a slot, got them back from the slot. No soldier was visible. I wanted to  see how this was working and peeked into the cabin. There was a soldier  almost lieing on his seat so that he could not be seen from outside. When he noticed that I was observing him, he got angry, called  a guard and asked for my identity. I told him that I was from Machsom Watch, but had forgotten my tag. I gave him my ID. He ordered me to leave immediately the building, which I did.

From 2:00 till 5:00 PM

A cold day, with a sand storm.

Since there were four of us at today’s shift we split up and our twofriends went to Qalandia, while we took the South.

Nuaman (Mazmoriya):  we asked for permission to enter Nuaman (Mazmoriya) before going intothe village and only proceeded after we have received it. However, then, as wepassed the checkpoint for pedestrians by car the loudspeaker was screaming atus and we stopped. After having explained that we were doing nothing illegaland after the shouter had verified our intentions at the main checkpoint, we wereallowed to continue. Three girl students wanted a lift, but we couldaccommodate only one. She had to get to the last house in the village (andprobably her grandfather was the man killed on the donkey by the Border Policesome two years ago). She told us that she walks all the way to the University inBethlehem. Shestressed how beautiful Nuaman is, we agreed.

Beyond the Herodion we continued to look at expansions of the hilltopsettlements Sdeh Bar and Havat Eldad. We noticed that they had grown since welast passed there, but we saw no heavy construction vehicles.

Etzion DCL: there were quite a number of cars at the parking lot of the DCL, butinside there were not many people – on Thursdays’ the place closes early. A manwhose sister died in Beit Hanina and wanted to attend the funeral had come witha stack of requests from four of his female relatives to enter Jerusalem to attend the funeral which was dueto take place at that moment. He had been refused on police grounds and wasunable to rectify the problem with Maher, who had been unwilling to assist. Thewomen, one of them 65 years’ old, had no magnetic cards and could therefore notbe helped.

We called Hanna B. who informed us that NO ONE can get anywhere nowadayswith a magnetic card and that in emergencies, such as this one, the n\cardcould be issued fast. However, they would have to apply in person after theweekend.

It was explained to him that they could apply on Sunday morning for amagnetic card (which costs money and which they had never needed, because theydidn’t leave their village - Batir) and would then be issued with a permit toattend the mourning. But the mourning period would be over by then.

A few minutes before 4:00 PM people came in to get permits for hospitalvisits and were allowed to enter. There were hardly any cars left when weexited and the waiting room was empty too.

Bethlehem - Rachel Terminal: it was a real rush hour at the Rachel Terminal. Employers who haddropped off their workers tried to make a U-turn near the vehicle entry to Bethlehem, where therewas a long line of cars. We decided to enter the terminal first and wereliterally blown inside. The plastic sheeting over the entrance was partly tornoff by the wind and caused a rattling noise. Inside too the wind whistledthrough the roof and we wondered how waterproof it would be once the promisedrains started. Four windows were open and the soldiers were leaning back eyingtheir screens while the returning workers wriggled their hands in the machines,but all in all the wait was not long. Two tour guides waited for their touristsand called frantically on their cell phones to verify what was holding them up.

By the time we left there was no longer a queue in front of the vehiclepassage.