A-Ras, Jubara, Anabta, Thursday 23.08.07 PM Observers: Hagar L. (reporting)Neora (a guest for the fifth time)Translation: Galia S.Movement and passage restrictions in the area of Qalqiliya, Tulkarm and Nablus (as for 23.08.07).RaminThe exit from Ramin to road 57 is still blocked, including all the dirt roads in the olive groves between Ramin and Dir Sharaf that are blocked by ditches, earth barriers and rocks.ShufaThe exit from the village towards Tulakrm is still blocked and the traffic goes through roads 557 and 57 which pass through Anabta checkpoint.SafarinAscending from the village to road 557 is still blocked.TulkarmTraveling out of the city southwards and eastwards entails inspections and passing through checkpoints (Anabta and Ar-Ras).The passage to agricultural lands west of the separation fence – One needs to get an entry permit to the seam-line zone or a confirmation of employment given by the local owner. It is possible to pass only through agricultural gates, most of which are opened for less than an hour twice or three times a day or only in the olive picking season. Many of the land owners are prevented from getting to their lands for security reasons. We were told that an eighty year old man from Kafr Sur had been recently refused a renewal of his residence permit in the seam-line zone by the DCO [District Coordination Office of the IDF Civil Administration that handles passage permits]. The reason – security.Rural roads of the villages along the separation fence have been blocked by the fence. The gates are situated far away from the roads, which prevents the land owners from getting to their parcels of land by car or tractor and they are forced to walk or ride donkeys.Entry into the villages Jubara, Azun-Atma, Ras-Tira and Dab’a that are located in the seam-line zone is allowed only to the residents themselves, who are required to get an authorization to stay or a residence permit in their identity cards. Participating in events such as weddings or funerals depends on coordinating it beforehand with the DCO and on strict inspections at the entrance checkpoints of the villages. The stay is limited to a few hours only.The way down for pedestrians to road 557 is blocked with barbed wire from the village Izbit Shufa to Jubara checkpoint (“Figs” border passage).14:20 – We stop for a short while at the entrance to Kafr Sur, where in the past one could buy falafel, but what they sell there now is poultry. The owner who speaks Hebrew well, having worked in Israel for years, tells us about a growing number of land owners who no longer get passage permits to their parcels of land in the seam-line zone. He says that even an eighty year old man was refused a permit for security reasons.A-Ras checkpoint14:37 Five vehicles from the direction of Tu8lkarm. Two people arrive on foot from the direction of Jubara gate. They have come back from work in Israel, and they are detained again for identity card check although they have already been detained at the other checkpoint that is 300 meters away from this one. We are waiting with them in the small patch of shade of the olive tree. Their documents are returned to them 5 minutes later. From the way they thank us, we understand that they ascribe the shortened waiting time to us. The checks of every vehicle are fairly quick.Once in a while, the soldier peeks into the vehicle and sometimes he only looks at the driver and his ID card. Ten minutes later we leave. Jubara gate is empty now. No one is passing.Anabta checkpoint15:02 We witness the dynamics of line formation. When we arrived, a shift change was probably taking place and the cars passed without inspection, so that there was no line at all. Within 3 minutes from the beginning of the inspection, a line of 12 cars was formed and two minutes later there were already 14 in line. In this way, with each minute that passes, 4 – 8 more cars are added to the line. Very soon we see that the line has gotten longer, past the turn of the road (i.e. over 25 cars). Once in a while, an Israeli vehicle bypasses the line. Usually the soldier doesn’t detain the cars for inspection. He checks mainly the content of the car and not the ID cards of the passengers.15:34 – We leave.