E – Tulkarm checkpoints, Wednesday 22.08.07 AM Observers: Biriya L., Rina Ts. (reporting)Translation: Galia S.Anabta (Einav)09:40 – 10:00 The traffic is thin. We haven’t seen more than 4-5 vehicles in line at any one time. The soldiers insist that we stay away from the place were we used to stand, near the pillbox, opposite the post where the soldier checks the vehicles going toward Tulkarm. We argue with them, but the commander says that the reason is concern for our safety, so to speak. It’s an old story. We discuss the issue among ourselves deliberating how to react. Since the soldiers were nice to the Palestinians, let the traffic pass quickly and didn’t detain anybody, and since we could also see everything from where we were standing, we decided not to make an issue of it this time.The entrance to ShufaA military vehicle is standing here. The soldiers are inside. It is not quite clear what for. Perhaps they are resting. We saw a Palestinian vehicle leaving the village to road 557. We didn’t see if it was detained at the exit.Jubara border passage10:10 The police is checking Israeli vehicles that enter the West Bank. One vehicle is detained.A-Ras checkpoint (Farm 8)10:10 – 10:45 Regular soldiers from Haruv battalion are at the checkpoint. The commander is second lieutenant. A woman dog trainer is here too, but as long as we have been here, the dog has not checked anybody. There is very little traffic in both directions. No workers have arrived from Israel without a permit (what is called in military language “illegals”) [in Israel without a residence permit].The soldiers want to know who we are and why we are here. We have had an interesting talk and we have referred them to our web site.