Closure
14/06/2011 ,Afternoon
Chana S. (reporting), Avital F. (driving)
Etzion DCL, 15:00 pm: today there is a notice on the door announcing that the DCL is closed, except for humanitarian cases. Three Palestinian cars are parked in the parking lot.
The soldier at the window said that he and his pals belong to people who had been called in for security reasons. Apart from them, there was nobody at the checkpoint.
26/04/2011 ,Morning
Hagit Beck, Michal Z.(reporting)
Translator: Charles K.
Sansana-Meitar crossing
The closure doesn’t end until tomorrow, so the Meitar checkpoint is deserted.
Route 60
Route 60 is almost completely deserted.
There’s almost no military presence either.
An observation balloon floats over the area.
We see many children on their way to the UNRWA school at El-Fawwar.
Hebron
Hebronis quiet after Passover.
The CPT volunteers are patrolling in town, accompanied by an Italian agricultural delegation who’ll meet local farmers to see how they can help.
At the Pharmacy checkpoint they tell us that shortly before we arrived a youth who objected to being inspected was beaten by Border Police soldiers. They didn’t see what happened, only overheard what went on in the booth. The youth was released immediately because teachers and TIPH staff arrived.
There were no detainees when we arrived, nor at any of the other checkpoints in the city.
The Cave of the Patriarchs area is quiet. All the shops are closed, but two settlers next to Beit Gutnick look at us and shout: “Here are the traitors.”
We drove to Beit Anun. Trucks still have to transfer their loads back-to-back because of the concrete barriers. In fact, we saw how a truck loaded with gas cylinders unloads them onto the barriers, where they are picked up by people from Beit Anun. The horrible routine.
We’d planned to visit the guy who’d been bitten by the soldiers’ dog. We thought he was hospitalized in Soroka, but got a message from “Yesh Din” that he’d been released, but because he’d been defined as being in Israel without permission he was jailed in Hebron.
27/03/2011 ,Morning
Tova Halprin, Hagar Zemer (reporting), Nadim (driver),
Eliyahu crossing, 08:00 – People cross without delays.
Nebi Elias, 08:15 – People cross without delays. We drive on to the villages. There are many olive groves along the way.
Jayyus, 08:30 – We talk with Na’im (he appeared at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque).
Na’im says he belongs to Machsom Watch. He speaks fluent Hebrew. Worked “for Jews” many years. He says the fence has almost completely destroyed the village. It’s a farming village; the fence separated the residents from their lands, their source of income. Most of the villagers are prevented by the GSS from working in Israel, and aren’t allowed through the fence. We asked why the GSS prevents them; Na’im said it did so for no reason. He’s been in that status for six years. He can’t understand why, and there’s no one to complain to. He spoke to two lawyers (each wants NIS 2000), but hasn’t yet received any answer. He thinks the settlements are the reason – they want his land. There’s no work today in the village – no industry, no construction, no agriculture. Na’im says he know Israelis from when he worked with them, and doesn’t hate them. But his children, all the young people in the village, come into contact only with Israeli soldiers, who behave brutally – breaking doors, beating children, etc. Soldiers beat his 16 year old son, threw him onto the floor of a jeep and told him they’re going to slaughter him. They took him to jail. When he got out three months later, he was a different person! – he’s afraid of Israelis and hates them. All the young people in the village are afraid of the Israeli soldiers; fear always leads to hatred. The harsh reality makes them hate, not incitement in school books.
Sometimes the 'Azzun gate is closed, and it’s hard to reach their village. They often must wait for hours at the checkpoints (and be insulted). That, they say, they’ve become used to, but they won’t get used to losing their lands! They say the Israeli government wants the Palestinian police to protect the settlers who are stealing their lands. They say they haven’t any weapons – the Palestinian Authority collected them and uses them to protect the settlers.
Yussuf says: “We want to live with the Jews. We breathe the same air, drink the same water, eat the same food, so why can’t we treat each other well. I’m not afraid to speak the truth, since I’ve already lost everything anyway. Now I’m also losing my children, because I can’t give them a good education or a decent way of life. I’m only teaching them to hate.”
Tova talked to someone who told her he’s on the GSS “preventive” list. He paid a lawyer NIS 2000 to get him a crossing permit. He got a job in a restaurant in Ra’anana. At the end of the work day, when he wanted to return to his village, he discovered that the taxi would cost more than he earned. He remained to sleep there, the police caught him and since then he’s again on the GSS list – forever, apparently.
Falamya checkpoint, 09:30 – An agricultural checkpoint. The gate is closed but not locked. Two bored soldiers sit in their emplacement. We continued on a side road, because they’re working on the main road.
Kafr Jamal, 09:45 – We stop at a grocery owned by Nadim’s relative. He tells us that leaflets (in Hebrew, which they can’t read) were recently distributed – something about the fence. They don’t know whether the intent is to expand it (to their detriment, of course, by taking more of their land) or just repair it. If the intent is to expand it, they’ll appeal to the Supreme Court.
Kafr Zabad: Very quiet. There is no one in the streets.
We drove to Kafr Sur, but couldn’t enter because of the roadworks. We returned to Falamya – the agricultural checkpoint gate was open but no one went through, and the soldiers sat idle. We continued along the fence separating the villages from their lands. The landscape along the way was lovely – green, flowers of many colors (we said that if not for the occupation, it would be like Tuscany).
We returned to Israel via Azur.
22/03/2011 ,Morning
Dafna Shpizman, Miriam Shayish (reporting) Translator: Charles K
7:07 Habla –
We arrive a little late, the buses had already crossed, about 20 people waiting at the Habla exit gate. They go through slowly – the commander (from the Nachson-Kfir unit) says it’s because this morning they’re short an MP to conduct the inspections. He’s already been here a month, and hasn’t yet met anyone from Machsom Watch. He was curious about what we do. He told us about a small agricultural gate – 1231, Khirbet Asala, that opens at 05:30, not, as stated, at 06:00. He also told us about a little incident that occurred before we arrived, the result of crowding at the gate.
Two military vehicles opposite Qedumim.
07:52
Jit junction –
2 soldiers, Palestinians not allowed through.
08:00 Palestinians not allowed through the checkpoint at the exit from Yitzhar.
08:05
Huwwara is open, traffic flows freely, no soldiers on the road.
08:15
Awarta – the “back-to-back” checkpoint is closed.
08:30
Beit Furiq – The checkpoint is open, soldiers conducting random inspections. A car with a sick woman is given priority. Soldiers are from the Shaked unit, the commander says they set up at least one flying checkpoint every day.
08:45
Awarta – Curfew from this morning. Border Police have pulled spike barriers across the road. We go into the DCO, which is also closed. Few Palestinians are waiting for it to open; they tell us the curfew was imposed at 06:00. A convoy of all kinds of armored military vehicles comes out of Awarta and goes into the DCO.
09:00
The western entrance to Awarta is also closed. Teams of journalists and photographers are there, Palestinians working for French and Chinese networks, waiting for information and for something to happen. An old woman asks to cross; she’s refused permission. Very quietly she moves away toward a nearby grove and disappears on her way home.
Za’tara – Wonder of wonders, Palestinian vehicles cross freely, but they interrogate us…
16/03/2010 ,Afternoon
Yael I. and Ilana D. (reporting)
From 2:00 till 5:00 PM
Beit Iksa, Givat Zeev, Bitunia, Atarot and Qalandia
A curfew and riots all over the city. We wondered where to go in order to avoid getting our car ruined.
The turn into Beit Iksa from the Ramot CP has become even more awkward. There were quite a few soldiers but we were not stopped. There was only one car parked at the beginning of the road. The condition of the road has become even worse since the last torrential rains and the potholes are very deep. We took a Palestinian from Hizme who had come to look in vain for work in Beit Iksa and passed the CP without anyone paying attention. There were only two cars passing smoothly. There is a large yellow sign telling Israelis that they are not allowed to have their cars fixed in B. Iksa. There are also large new green billboards welcoming us to Beit Iksa. Our hitchhiker showed us the way to the under pass-road which we had missed last time and told us he had been interviewed by Tami and Aya for machsanmilim. He had been in jail for many years and had completed his university studies there. At the end of the ride he begged us for money (and more money), spoiling the good impression he had made.
On the way back we were stopped at the B. Iksa CP, but only just to be greeted and again there were no other cars.
The G. Zeev CP was empty too, it was clear that no one got in or out due to the curfew.
However, in Bitunia, which is now called the Ofer Passage and there is a new fence before the CP, there was a long line of trucks transporting goods into the West Bank. A typical phenomenon, the (Israeli) economy is allowed to go on also when the Palestinians are not allowed to work.
The Atarot CP was manned by two soldiers and a policewoman. She looked attentively into each car. The Industrial area is being renovated, but so far only the roads, most of the old industrial buildings are still in total disrepair.
We have never seen Qalandia so empty and we were a little scared to park our car. There were dozens of police vans parked in the bus parking lot and the buses waited on the main road. There is construction going on towards the West and the VIP passage is still not in use. We turned into what was once the ‘humanitarian' passage into the Qalandia village, now entirely closed off by barbed wire coils. The little caravan has been moved further north and two border policemen told us they were only stationed there because of the riots - there was nothing to do for them. A security van waited for the cars of the Aviation Industry workers to exit and accompanied them on their way to safety (presumably till the highway), at the Atarot CP the line of cars had grown significantly and moved extremely slowly.
16/03/2010 ,Morning
Rachel W., (reporting)
En route to our usual shift, we noticed a huge number of blue police, border police, and soldiers near the gas station at the entry to Issawiya. From our vantage point, we could not see any direct disturbances, but we heard the constant sound of gun fire and saw helicopters overhead. Some of the people who were standing around said that there have been clashes since early morning.
Continuing on via "Pope Road" toward the Hebrew University, we saw about 5 police vans parked along the road near the entry to the Hadassah helipad.
We entered Azariah where things seemed to be quiet, but some of the people that we know there said that there were disturbances in both Azariah and Abu Dis during the day. Interestingly enough, there were no police or military at the exit of the village.
Wadi Nar
Wadi Naar has never been quieter -- perhaps because of the closure. There were almost no vehicles going in either direction, although there seemed to be more security personnel around than usual.
On our way back, we drove right into a demonstration taking place near the entry to the Hebrew University. On one side of the street were Arab students, on the other Jewish ones -- many of them wearing "Im Tirtzu" tee shirts. As we were driving by, we were stopped by two ambulances -- the first was a Red Crescent ambulance that picked up one of the Arab demonstrators. (We could not see just who was being lifted in). The second ambulance was one of Magen David Adom which seemed to be on a regular call.
At the top of the hill, opposite the entry where one turns left to get to Hadassah, there was a huge contingent of Border Police who had just emerged from the Arab village behind the hospital. We tried to get a better look at what was going on in Issawiya, but couldn't. However, we did hear the sound of the shooting going on there.
The police force was still in evidence along "Pope Road" as well as at the entry to Issawiya.
Qedar update: Building there continues unabated. The settlement has been doubled in the last year and now, during the "building freeze", the bulldozers are still working all speed ahead preparing yet more lands for building more houses -- in addition to the 30 or so foundations ready for yet more houses.
16/03/2010 ,Morning
Rachel W., (reporting)
En route to our usual shift, we noticed a huge number of blue police, border police, and soldiers near the gas station at the entry to Issawiya. From our vantage point, we could not see any direct disturbances, but we heard the constant sound of gun fire and saw helicopters overhead. Some of the people who were standing around said that there have been clashes since early morning.
Continuing on via "Pope Road" toward the Hebrew University, we saw about 5 police vans parked along the road near the entry to the Hadassah helipad.
We entered Azariah where things seemed to be quiet, but some of the people that we know there said that there were disturbances in both Azariah and Abu Dis during the day. Interestingly enough, there were no police or military at the exit of the village.
Wadi Nar
Wadi Naar has never been quieter -- perhaps because of the closure. There were almost no vehicles going in either direction, although there seemed to be more security personnel around than usual.
On our way back, we drove right into a demonstration taking place near the entry to the Hebrew University. On one side of the street were Arab students, on the other Jewish ones -- many of them wearing "Im Tirtzu" tee shirts. As we were driving by, we were stopped by two ambulances -- the first was a Red Crescent ambulance that picked up one of the Arab demonstrators. (We could not see just who was being lifted in). The second ambulance was one of Magen David Adom which seemed to be on a regular call.
At the top of the hill, opposite the entry where one turns left to get to Hadassah, there was a huge contingent of Border Police who had just emerged from the Arab village behind the hospital. We tried to get a better look at what was going on in Issawiya, but couldn't. However, we did hear the sound of the shooting going on there.
The police force was still in evidence along "Pope Road" as well as at the entry to Issawiya.
Qedar update: Building there continues unabated. The settlement has been doubled in the last year and now, during the "building freeze", the bulldozers are still working all speed ahead preparing yet more lands for building more houses -- in addition to the 30 or so foundations ready for yet more houses.
16/03/2010 ,Morning
Rachel W., (reporting)
En route to our usual shift, we noticed a huge number of blue police, border police, and soldiers near the gas station at the entry to Issawiya. From our vantage point, we could not see any direct disturbances, but we heard the constant sound of gun fire and saw helicopters overhead. Some of the people who were standing around said that there have been clashes since early morning.
Continuing on via "Pope Road" toward the Hebrew University, we saw about 5 police vans parked along the road near the entry to the Hadassah helipad.
We entered Azariah where things seemed to be quiet, but some of the people that we know there said that there were disturbances in both Azariah and Abu Dis during the day. Interestingly enough, there were no police or military at the exit of the village.
Wadi Nar
Wadi Naar has never been quieter -- perhaps because of the closure. There were almost no vehicles going in either direction, although there seemed to be more security personnel around than usual.
On our way back, we drove right into a demonstration taking place near the entry to the Hebrew University. On one side of the street were Arab students, on the other Jewish ones -- many of them wearing "Im Tirtzu" tee shirts. As we were driving by, we were stopped by two ambulances -- the first was a Red Crescent ambulance that picked up one of the Arab demonstrators. (We could not see just who was being lifted in). The second ambulance was one of Magen David Adom which seemed to be on a regular call.
At the top of the hill, opposite the entry where one turns left to get to Hadassah, there was a huge contingent of Border Police who had just emerged from the Arab village behind the hospital. We tried to get a better look at what was going on in Issawiya, but couldn't. However, we did hear the sound of the shooting going on there.
The police force was still in evidence along "Pope Road" as well as at the entry to Issawiya.
Qedar update: Building there continues unabated. The settlement has been doubled in the last year and now, during the "building freeze", the bulldozers are still working all speed ahead preparing yet more lands for building more houses -- in addition to the 30 or so foundations ready for yet more houses.
16/03/2010 ,Morning
Rachel W., (reporting)
En route to our usual shift, we noticed a huge number of blue police, border police, and soldiers near the gas station at the entry to Issawiya. From our vantage point, we could not see any direct disturbances, but we heard the constant sound of gun fire and saw helicopters overhead. Some of the people who were standing around said that there have been clashes since early morning.
Continuing on via "Pope Road" toward the Hebrew University, we saw about 5 police vans parked along the road near the entry to the Hadassah helipad.
We entered Azariah where things seemed to be quiet, but some of the people that we know there said that there were disturbances in both Azariah and Abu Dis during the day. Interestingly enough, there were no police or military at the exit of the village.
Wadi Nar
Wadi Naar has never been quieter -- perhaps because of the closure. There were almost no vehicles going in either direction, although there seemed to be more security personnel around than usual.
On our way back, we drove right into a demonstration taking place near the entry to the Hebrew University. On one side of the street were Arab students, on the other Jewish ones -- many of them wearing "Im Tirtzu" tee shirts. As we were driving by, we were stopped by two ambulances -- the first was a Red Crescent ambulance that picked up one of the Arab demonstrators. (We could not see just who was being lifted in). The second ambulance was one of Magen David Adom which seemed to be on a regular call.
At the top of the hill, opposite the entry where one turns left to get to Hadassah, there was a huge contingent of Border Police who had just emerged from the Arab village behind the hospital. We tried to get a better look at what was going on in Issawiya, but couldn't. However, we did hear the sound of the shooting going on there.
The police force was still in evidence along "Pope Road" as well as at the entry to Issawiya.
Qedar update: Building there continues unabated. The settlement has been doubled in the last year and now, during the "building freeze", the bulldozers are still working all speed ahead preparing yet more lands for building more houses -- in addition to the 30 or so foundations ready for yet more houses.
16/03/2010 ,Morning
Rachel W., (reporting)
En route to our usual shift, we noticed a huge number of blue police, border police, and soldiers near the gas station at the entry to Issawiya. From our vantage point, we could not see any direct disturbances, but we heard the constant sound of gun fire and saw helicopters overhead. Some of the people who were standing around said that there have been clashes since early morning.
Continuing on via "Pope Road" toward the Hebrew University, we saw about 5 police vans parked along the road near the entry to the Hadassah helipad.
We entered Azariah where things seemed to be quiet, but some of the people that we know there said that there were disturbances in both Azariah and Abu Dis during the day. Interestingly enough, there were no police or military at the exit of the village.
Wadi Nar
Wadi Naar has never been quieter -- perhaps because of the closure. There were almost no vehicles going in either direction, although there seemed to be more security personnel around than usual.
On our way back, we drove right into a demonstration taking place near the entry to the Hebrew University. On one side of the street were Arab students, on the other Jewish ones -- many of them wearing "Im Tirtzu" tee shirts. As we were driving by, we were stopped by two ambulances -- the first was a Red Crescent ambulance that picked up one of the Arab demonstrators. (We could not see just who was being lifted in). The second ambulance was one of Magen David Adom which seemed to be on a regular call.
At the top of the hill, opposite the entry where one turns left to get to Hadassah, there was a huge contingent of Border Police who had just emerged from the Arab village behind the hospital. We tried to get a better look at what was going on in Issawiya, but couldn't. However, we did hear the sound of the shooting going on there.
The police force was still in evidence along "Pope Road" as well as at the entry to Issawiya.
Qedar update: Building there continues unabated. The settlement has been doubled in the last year and now, during the "building freeze", the bulldozers are still working all speed ahead preparing yet more lands for building more houses -- in addition to the 30 or so foundations ready for yet more houses.
