Anabta, Jubara: Sunday, 09.10.05, PMObservers: Lee D., Aliya S., Susan L. (reporting)Summary”The spirit of Ramadan: fasting, feasting, worship and prayer.” In spite of the spirit of the occupation, in spite of mindless, unfeeling soldiers at the checkpoints, on this first afternoon of the winter clock, the sun set on a quiet, serene landscape where the occupying forces were left with near deserted checkpoints, since Palestinians had just one desire: to hurry home to break the fast. And, for us, each checkpoint brought to mind phrases from our own heritage. 16:45 AnabtaThe autumn heralding tall and graceful squills on the side of the road and beautiful black and white birds swooping overhead remind us what a beautiful land this is. It’s peaceful (outwardly), quiet, there’s no traffic, no rolling checkpoints, and there’s a feeling of serenity in the air. A feeling of Ramadan. We approach the newly installed barricade: no longer proudly yellow, but now a miserly grey. Not a single taxi on our side of the barrier. On the other side just one. It’s time to head on homewards. Just a couple of Hummers – hiding – on the side of the apartheid road, one near Enav, the other opposite Shufa. 17:00-18:00 JubaraFour detainees, and still others to deal with in the next hour. The usual problems of permits, of one parent living in Israel, the other in Palestine, the normal longing to be with family on Ramadan. The usual lack of sensitivity by soldiers, and one, at this checkpoint, in particular, seemed to twist the commander (a sergeant) around his little finger: while knowing little of what to do, his attitude was clear. To be as difficult and as uncomprehending and as reprehensible as possible. The third member of this trio of soldiers was a Russian speaker, just trying to do his soldierly duty, and follow orders, but he was also questioning and wanted to look at MW’s web site! The usual agricultural workers, vehicles loaded with vegetables, and, now that guava season is here, a man coming from the village of Jubara, with guavas, which he gave generously to the detainees, who’d had no water and for whom the soldiers, who demonstrated only too well what a “a stiff necked people” they are, gave not a damn: The sound of the muezzin from a couple of nearby mosques, was greeted by lighting up of cigarettes, the eating of guavas, fetching of water from Abu Ghatem (the soldiers drank theirs in front of the fasting Palestinians) and the gradual release of all. By the time we left, nobody was being held, and all detainees were wending their way home.