Anabta, Jubara, Ar-Ras, Sunday, 16.07.06 PM Observers: Sara K., Amira I., Susan L., (reporting)SummaryPlayground behavior would seem a strange way of describing whatMachsomWatch women witness at the checkpoints in the OccupiedTerritories. “Break time” (hafsaka) in school is when children learnsocial skills they will need in the world outside. But it can also bean occasion for aggression, harassment and bullying. So, it’s notsurprising that there is a large literature on playground behaviorwith plenty of research on children’s play, including such issues asplayful and aggressive fighting and racism and sexism in theplayground. The West Bank as a playground? Maybe: after all, soldiersand passing Palestinians inhabit (if only for too many hours)determined checkpoint boundaries (the “playground” as defined by theauthorities). Nobody respects nature or property inthat “playground,” and the soldiers certainly fail completely torespect the “other.”  So, all in all, it’s just “child’s play” in theOccupied Territories on a day when rockets reach Haifa, and therampage in Gaza and Lebanon continues.15 :50-16:10 AnabtaAll is quiet. Very few vehicles trying to get into Anabta, the usuallong line trying to get out. Only Palestinian-Israelis’ IDs areclosely checked, and their papers with family names and relationshipheld up to close scrutiny. Palestinian cars, trucks, buses andpedestrians passing into Anabta not checked at all. The soldiers,helmetless, are at ease, ready to talk, showing, as is common, acomplete lack of understanding of what this is all about. “It’s notoccupation, it’s war.” For a moment, it seems we’re in a theater ofthe absurd: a couple of rag and bone trucks, then an open truck witha huge bull in the back, the drivers waving to us cheerfully, andimmediately after, going in the opposite direction, two tiny brightlypainted trucks, one marked clearly, “Gauloises,” theother “Marlboro.”16:10 JubaraThe soldiers don’t even bother to look at us, as we go into the laneleading to the village, open the gate on our own and wend our waytowards Ar-Ras. Very few vehicles trying to get into Israel proper, nopedestrians at all.16:20 Gate 753The two soldiers there, relaxed, maintain that Sunday is always aquiet day (not true), but today it certainly is.Ar-RasJust one minivan, otherwise nothing, nothing moving, not even thedust laden silvery olive trees. Summertime, but the livin’ is noteasy….On our way back to the village, we’re beckoned by a group of men,standing at the side of the road near Gate 753, a fan somehowstanding in their midst giving some movement to the air in thestifling summer stillness. They ask for our help: a group of sixPalestinian workers who’ve been working in the green houses inJubara, now want to get back to their homes, on the other side of theseparation barrier, but are turned away by the soldiers. They are ata loss. Have been there since the morning. Not Israelis, but also notin the Palestinian Authority. The tragedy of the seam line, for whenit’s convenient it’s Israel, and when it’s convenient it’s the PA –no man’s land. Either way, ordinary human beings, just trying to putbread on the family table, are damaged and “played” with bythe “playground behavior” of this futile occupation.