Anabta, Huwara, Tapuach Junction Friday 28.9.07 AMObservers: Sarah K., Elisheva E., Noa P., Naomi L. (reporting)Third Friday of the RamadanWe set out to check on the freedom of movement on the roads from Jenin – Tul Karm – Nablus area to the entrance to Jerusalem, with people headed for Ramadan Prayers in Jerusalem.Anabta Checkpoint – at 8.23 (according to the Ecumencial Accompaniers who were at the spot when we arrived) “life stop procedure” was declared and no one was allowed through. Half an hour later there were already about 100?? cars waiting in both directions and drivers were standing impatiently about. After another half an hour we phoned the regional brigade (Efrayim) and were told there was a hot alert of a suicide bomber expected at the checkpoint – therefore the procedure. As the two lines of vehicles on both sides got longer and longer, some military reinforcement arrived and left shortly. We wondered why – while waiting for a suicide bomber – the soldiers hang around bare headed, no helmets?… The army hotline was surprised and promised to look into it. But nothing seemed to move and we called MK Ran Cohen and requested his intervention, people were complaining of the heat which makes the long waiting all more unbearable during the full fast and especially keeping women children and the elderly under such conditions.After three and a half hours of life stoppage (we were already at Qalandiya Checkpoint), the order was given to open the checkpoint. “Now after the security information has been cleared…” the army hotline explained. Palestinians and Ecumenicals both were in contact with us and verified this, the checkpoint was opened but passage was slow and checking thorough. The suicide bomber must have spent all this time at the checkpoint and now when the soldiers rummage around every car and personal bag, he will approach to be caught… At the same, according to the Ecumenicals at A Ras Checkpoint (also at the exit from Tul Karm) there was nothing special and passage was normal. Only after Anabta was open to meticulous checks did A Ras undergo careful checks as well.9:10 Beit Iba See Separate report in Beit Iba reports. Some people asked us to proceed to Anabta, where things were tough. We continued to Huwara Checkpoint and kept in touch with people at Anabta who reported the checkpoint was still closed and no one was being allowed through.There was no checkpoint at the Jit and Yitzhar junctions.9:46 – Huwara Checkpoint was nearly empty, and drivers reported that at Tapuach junction checkpoint 45-year olds and younger were not allowed to proceed to Ramallah and Jerusalem. Army hotline explained that this reflects the need to lessen the number of Palestinians arriving at Qalandiya so as to avoid a crowd of thousands.Dissection of the area is collective and affects everyone – even those who wish to travel for reasons unconnected to the Ramadan Prayers and Jerusalem.10:00 Tapuach Junction checkpoint – we saw that indeed younger men were being ordered off vehicles and turned back northbound. There were no waiting lines and traffic was very light. We were informed by phone that there was no checkpoint at Al Bidan, concluding that people from all over the northern West Bank were allowed to move southbound, only to be stopped here at Tapuach Junction and turned back (including all those now stuck at the life stop procedure at Anabta Checkpoint).After missing the turnoff to Qalandiya we were stuck in a long bottleneck at the entrance checkpoint to Jerusalem, where no one punished cars overtaking others on the right hand side of the road, no one was yelling “get back!” or “one by one!” or “now, split!” No one checked our IDs or trunk or glove compartment or our bags or under our seats, and we actually entered Jerusalem freely thanks to our Israeli license plate and that alone.11:00 – Qalandiya Checkpoint – See separate report in Qalandiya reports.