Anabta, Ar-Ras, Irtah, Monday PM, 19 June 2006 Watchers: Yona A. and Ziona S. (reporting) Summary:Huge line of vehicles in both directions. Restriction on entry of vehicles only for Israelis, Vehicles with produce allowed in only with [a commercial] permit.And apart from that, everything’s okay…Anabta Checkpoint15:00 – long line of cars in both directions. Ambulances with flashing lights in both directions forcing a way by overtaking. The soldiers check them quickly and let them through.15:10 – the line of vehicles exiting Anabta is very long and the end is not visible from where we are standing.The soldiers are holding long debates, mainly with the outbound car drivers.15:45 – on our way to the car, a line of cars at the entry to Tulkarm stretches the length of Route 57. We count 50, and more join every minute. Phone call to D., the battalion commander; he answers courteously, but informs us that there is a reason for the interrupted inspections, and it will take another two hours. He asks us to accept his words as is…Ar-Ras and Irtah Checkpoints16:15 – a long line of cars from the north being checked at a snail’s pace. Seven detainees sitting in the shade of an olive tree, suspected of being in Israel illegally. A soldier debates with one of them, He doesn’t speak Arabic, and the young Palestinian speaks only Arabic. The dialogue proceeds as the soldier occasionally asks a Hebrew-speaking Palestinian to serve as translator. The “interrogation” goes on for quarter of an hour, in which we understand that the young man lives in Nablus and is married to an Israeli from Taibe. He contends that he went to the Ministry of Interior to ask for a residence permit (as if he had a chance…). The debate focuses on where he entered.16:30 – we are on our way to Irtah to pick up a Palestinian woman whose eight month old daughter is hospitalized at Sheba, after a heart operation. The child has been hospitalized for four months already. We reached the terminal and parked in the lot. A man from the [civilian] security company, armed with a rifle, immediately comes over and asks us to park somewhere else. A., the baby’s father, informs us by cellular phone that they are on the way, have passed four checkpoints, and he is parting from his wife and son who have one more to pass. We advance together with the workers who have meanwhile arrived, and stand facing the entry door, which is supposed to open electronically. I peek into the building but can see no one. Nevertheless, after a few minutes the door opens and the workers enter. I ask “whether there is anyone who can see you?” The answer: “ There are many eyes in the building, that watch without being seen. After a few minutes a security man arrives and we hear him saying into a phone: “Don’t worry, I’m moving them away.” He turns to us: “You are impudent, do you know that? Go back to your car immediately.” Into the phone he says: “It’s okay, you can continue, I’ve removed them.” MachsomWatch comment: The mystery and cloud of secrecy in this place arouse a threatening feeling: Big brother is protecting us and protected from us. The people have become a machine that rips out any logical consideration…17:00 – The mother and son emerge and we drive on to the hospital.