Northern route

06:26 

 Habla gate – the soldiers are present, the gate is closed.  A blue and red flag waves in the breeze (the brigade flag?).  The gate opens at 06:30.  The first five laborers pass through in one minute.  The bus with the children arrived at 06:50, and immediately afterwards the second bus.  The first bus crosses at 06:55 and the second follows.  According to the night watchman at the plant nursery, the gate in the new fence at Ras-Atiya, which we know is seasonal, is closed and there’s no entry to the olive groves; as of now, no permits are being issued.  We drove there to see.

07:05  

 Gate 1360 in the new fence at Ras-Atiya.  It is, in fact, closed. 

As we drive we see Palestinians riding donkeys, in carts and also on foot carrying sticks and blankets on the way to harvest olives.  We see people picking olives in many of the plots. 

We drove to Jayyus and continued to the northern gate near Falamya, arriving at 07:44 – the gate is open.  A Palestinian from Jayyus who spoke English very well and a Norwegian volunteer in his 50’s sat off to the side.  The Palestinian’s family has land on the other side of the gate and he has a permit to cross.  The Norwegian helps with the olive harvest, and lacks a crossing permit.  He’s not a member of any organization.  After telephoning for instructions, the soldiers don’t let him cross.  We tried to help by contacting the DCO and theארב"ל– without success.  The Palestinian finally crossed and the Norwegian rode with us to Jayyus, to the olive grove of another friend of his.  Leaving Jayyus we stopped at an olive press belong to two brothers who proudly showed us their new machines that arrived only yesterday from Italy.  We dipped a pita in the new oil and tasted it.  Tasty!

09:06   

Shvut Ami – An army jeep stopped and the soldiers climbed the hill.  Are they looking for “hilltop youths” in action?

Kafr Sara – the road is open.

Deir Sharaf – The road to Jenin is open.  We drove up to Sebastya, which was blocked by a steel gate.  Police and army at the junction.  It’s not clear what’s going on.  A policeman who came over and asked what we were doing didn’t answer our questions.  The owner of the café and bakery in Deir Sharaf said that the road to Sebastya is open, but from time to time it’s closed.

10:00  Anabta checkpoint is deserted, no soldiers.