Overall

Situation as usual. Our guest has long talks with the soldiers and his conclusions are as depressing as things are at the checkpoints: Fear, distrust and hatred towards the Palestinians predominated among the soldiers regardless of their political views.

06:30 – The way to Ras Atiya is deserted and quiet. No military presence.

06:35 Ras Atiya
The checkpoint is still closed.

06:40 – The gates are opened. About 20 workers and two cars approach the checkpoint. The drivers get out in order to pass through the magnetometer. Five minutes later they start getting out quite slowly, at the rate of 3 workers every 5 minutes.

06:55 – A Border Police vehicle arrives. One of the policemen gets out, beckons to the workers waiting to pass not through the magnetometer and checks their ID cards. Within two minutes all of them pass. Smiling they tell us they will be glad if we come every day because they are days they have to wait a long time.

07:00 Eliyahu Passage

 – Over 40 vehicles of Israeli Arabs and a few Palestinian ones are waiting in line that moves very slowly. Settler's cars pass without inspection. About 20 workers are waiting in line.

07:10 Qalqiliya

More than 20 cars are on the way out of the city. The end of the line cannot be seen. Checking  some of the cars consists of a few questions, while others are checked more thoroughly. It will take the 15 th car in line 15 minutes to pass. Many vehicles try to bypass the line. A bus that arrives is told to turn off the engine and two soldiers get on. One of the soldiers stays in front pointing the gun at the passengers and the other goes on and asks to see ID cards.

07:25 –
There are 7 cars at the entrance. The soldiers are busy trying to find solution to the problems of two people and the line is just getting longer. One of the soldiers tries to enforce order and prevents cars from overtaking others. The checkpoint commander tells us that today the Border Police have been sent for to another place and they have taken over, which may be the reason for the extra delays.

07:50 – The lines are still long – about 15 vehicles – both at the entrance and at the exit.

08:00 – At Izbat Tibit the exit is open. The main exit from Azzun is blocked. No military presence.

08:00 Al Funduq

At face value, everything looks quiet.

08:20 Jit junction
No checkpoint.

Anabta

10:20 – No line at the entrance. Streaming traffic. Most of the vehicles pass without inspection. At times, the inspection is strict and includes checking the baggage.

There are 15 vehicles at the exit and the check is the same as at the entrance, perhaps with more vehicles checked. It takes 10 minutes for 18 vehicles. The soldiers are on their guard, watching for approaching vehicles. Two soldiers with their guns pointed at the traffic in addition to the soldier who carries out the check. There was some shooting on Saturday, which might account for the caution.

A pedestrian who has decided not to wait in the taxi in line comes closer and is told to take off his jacket and raise his shirt before coming any closer. He is questioned at length before being allowed to pass.

11:20 The Schoolchildren's Gate

The soldiers who have been in the area for only a week and have supposedly never before seen Machsom Watch women, don't let us pass to "Palestinian territory"". They contact the Advanced Command Post to get permission.

A bus full of children arrives at Jubara. A soldier gets on the bus and walks along. A girl gets off and carrying her backpack starts walking along the fence road toward her house which happens to be outside the fence.

12:05 – It has taken Tami C. several phone calls and a lot of nagging to finally get a permission for us to pass.

12:05 Ar-Ras

 – It's quiet at Ar-Ras. There are no lines, which makes the presence of 3 dog trainers and 2 dogs seem absurd. It really looks as if each time they stop a vehicle, it is only in order to train the dogs. The soldiers deny it, of course.

Vehicles that enter Tulkarm are also checked.