‘Azzun ‘Atma, Tue 26.5.09, Morning
Translator: Charles K.
We arrived at the Azzun Atma checkpoint at 10:00, at the end of our shift. The checkpoint is closed, soldiers next to the gate. No one goes through. Just before we left a group of children leaves the village and crosses to the other side of the dangerous road, apparently on their way home.
Next to the village, within the fence, cars are parked belonging to whoever already left for work this morning. One of the villagers approaches the fence and says bitterly, “We’re in a ghetto, fenced in from all directions, nor can we leave at night if necessary even though the soldiers man the positions 24 hours a day. Our fields are on the other side of the road, it’s impossible to live like this, the war began in Gaza and we were closed off. We sued in the Supreme Court; we’ll see what happens. What do you want from us?”
Two women stand next to the gate on the Israeli side, one with a blue ID card. She’s from Azzun Atma, married to a man from Kafr Qassem. For five months, since January, she’s not been allowed to enter Azzun Atma to visit her mother. It sounds terrible, but it’s a fact. We tried to help, but…
We spoke to the DCO. The answer: We don’t deal with Israeli Arabs. I asked whom we should speak to. The answer: I don’t know. I contacted the Civil Administration. The spokesman replied: we don’t deal with that, and you’re bothering us. I contacted the Humanitarian office. The answer: We really don’t know, but we’ll transfer you to the brigade headquarters. The brigade didn’t have an answer.
Before we had finished all our calls the woman gave up, because it’s not the first time she’s tried, and rode back to Kafr Qassem.
I understood, after additional inquiries, that there’s no way to help her.
'Azzun 'Atma
See all reports for this place-
'Azzun 'Atma
A Palestinian village of about 1,800 residents. The settlement of Sha'arei Tikva was established on its land adjacent to it, and the settlement of Oranit was established on its agricultural lands. By 2013, the separation fence had passed through the village and a checkpoint staffed by the army allowed the residents to cross from side to side. After building a massive wall surrounding the village and some of its agricultural lands, the residents went daily for five years to their lands that remained in the Seam Zone through the Oranit agricultural checkpoint (4). Since 2018 it has only opened during the olive harvest and the farmers have to pass daily at the Beit Amin / Abu Salman checkpoint (1447), about 3 kilometers north.From a report from March 24, 2021: "The farmers from Beit Amin and Azon Atma are happy that since February 21 the Oranit checkpoint .is going to be open 3 times a day, The farmers are really developing the place."
Report from July 14, 2024: "Ornit checkpoint is closed . The Beit Amin/Abu Salman agricultural checkpoint is closed (there is no contact with the military to check if it opens rarely), the Ezbat Jaloud checkpoint was opened once a day before the war.
Updated for July 2024
Apr-11-2019Azoun: The main entrance to village blocked now for several weeks
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