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‘Anata-Shu’afat

Observers: Idit S., Anat T. (reporting and filming)
May-12-2015
| Morning

 

Such will be the fate of a population from which a terrorist emerges: collective punishment in Shuafat, Az-za'ayyem and A-Tur.  Such too will be the grounds for the next terrorist attack.
 
 

7:00 Shuafat refugee camp
 

Guiding crowds of children to the outer square is supervised by persons of the neighbourhood committee who know them all, and they redirect imposters to the regular checkpoint.  They also know that this arrangement, allowed until the inner parking zone for the children's buses is complete, may be withdrawn.
 

There is a line, but not too long, at the pedestrian checkpoint for the rest of the population (who mostly hold blue ID's). They cross, one by one, through the magnometer, their belongings placed on the side (but not checked).  The soldiers are sequestered behind the glass walls of the booth, only one checking, the other praying!).  There is another passage and another magnometer — disconnected from power — and plenty of manpower in the vehicular lanes, so that it's not really clear why the second pedestrian crossing is not operative to shorten the line.  Is the inspection truly for security? Doesn't seem so since belongings are not checked…
 

The neighbourhood committee will appeal to the courts about tightening the conditions of inspection — against the decision of the Supreme Court which required at least 6-8 magnometers and lanes, if the purpose is indeed to inspect and not simply to hassle those crossing.
 

8:10 Az-za'ayyem

 

We arrive a minute before the heavy metal gate, blocking the road below through which the residents cross to Jerusalem and back, is locked.  90% of residents have Jerusalem residency rights (blue ID's) .  Since the recent terrorist attacks in A-Tur and Sheikh Jarrach, the gate is locked throughout the day, and only in the last couple of days has it been opened for 2 hours in the morning. Previously, a manned checkpoint was operative. As a result, the residents of Az-za'ayyem may leave for Jerusalem through the Az-za'ayyem checkpoint, but if they wish to reach A-Tur, the Mount of Olives or the Old City — their preferred destinations of course — they may do so only via the Mount Scopus tunnel, and not directly). As for returning home, or access for visitors and shoppers, this can be done only by driving to Ma'aleh Adumim or Mishor Adumim (10 minutes in each direction, barring traffic jams), then making a U-turn and returning to the Az-za'ayyem checkpoint  where there is a turn into the neighbrourhood just before the checkpoint.  Once again we witness what appears to be collective punishment following the attack on a soldier in the lower checkpoint.
 
Inside Az-za'ayyem morale is low.  The greengrocer and other residents say that businesses are thinking of closing because people simply don't manage to reach these places for shopping or care repairs.  On Friday they will demonstrate at the checkpoint, and invite us to come.
 
A-Tur

 
 

In the wake of the report from Avital and Michaela of the street block near the elementary school east of the main road (the Al Mukkasad road), we drove there.  The neighbourhood is indeed crawling with border policemen (in the little park at the end of the street there are some 10 border policemen on the benches, seemingly ready for any alert or immediate response to any event).  Opposite the high school there are another 3 soldiers, as well as a van at the intersection from the ascent to Wadi Joz, and there is still a road block (from the direction of the neighbourhood buildings to the east), at the end of the alley inwhich the boys' elementary school is situated.  Residents say the direct route to the Mount of Olives is closed, and they must detour through the entire neighbourhood to reach the Mokkasad road.
 
Such is the fate of a population from which a single terrorist has emerged.

  • 'Anabta CP

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    • 'Anabta CP

      The checkpoint is located south of the village of 'Anabta, at the intersection of Road 60 (leading to Nablus at the entrance to Area A), with Road (57, 557, 5576) facing west towards the Einav settlement and the checkpoint at the exit from the West Bank - Figs checkpoint. Until 2010 we used to watch the intersection and report the long columns created due to a slow inspection of the vehicles in both directions.  
      Anabta checkpoint 24.10.11
      Oct-28-2011
      Anabta checkpoint 24.10.11
  • 'Anin checkpoint (214)

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    • 'Anin checkpoint (214)
      'Anin checkpoint is located on the Separation Fence east of the Israeli community Mei Ami and close to the village of Anin in the West Bank. It is opened twice a week, morning and afternoon, on days with shorter light time, for Anin farmers whose olive groves have been separated from the village by the fence it became difficult to cultivate their land. Transit permits are only issued to those who can produce ownership documents for their caged-in land, and sometimes only to the head of the family or his widow, eldest son, and children. Sometimes the inheritors lose their right to tend to the family’s land. The permits are eked out and are re-issued only with difficulty. 55-year-old persons may cross the checkpoint (into Israel) without special permits. During the olive harvest season (about one month around October) the checkpoint is open daily and more transit permits are issued. Names of persons eligible to cross are held in the soldiers’ computers. In July 2007, a sweeping instruction was issued, stating that whoever does not return to the village through this checkpoint in the afternoon will be stripped of his transit permit when he shows up there next time. Since 2019, the checkpoint has not been allways locked with the seam-line zone gate (1 of 3 gates), and the fence around it has been broken in several sites.

  • Checkpoint Shu'afat camp / Anata-Shu'afat (Jerusalem)

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    • The Shu’afat checkpoint is located in the northern part of East Jerusalem at the exit from the village of Anata and the Shu’afat refugee camp, which are located in the area annexed to Jerusalem in 1967. The refugee camp borders the Shu’afat neighborhood to the west, Pisgat Ze’ev to the north, the French Hill neighborhood to the south and the planned expansion of Ma’aleh Adumim to E-1 in the east.  It was established in 1966 for 1948 refugees from the West Bank and was populated after the Six Day War by persons who had been expelled from the Jewish Quarter.  Today its population comprises some 25,000 people holding blue ID cards and some 15,000 people with Palestinian ID cards.  The camp lacks adequate infrastructure and services, and suffers from poverty, neglect and overcrowding.  All its buildings are connected to the public electricity and water infrastructure, but not all are connected to the sewer system.  The camp’s services are provided by UNRWA, except for those such as health clinics and transportation of pupils to schools in Jerusalem.  In 2005, the Israeli High Court of Justice rejected a suit by the residents requesting that the route of the separation fence be drawn such that the camp would remain on the Israeli side, but conditioned its approval of the route on the establishment of a convenient and rapid crossing facility for the inhabitants of the neighborhood, most of whom are residents of Jerusalem.

      A temporary checkpoint operated there until December, 2011.  It was extremely congested during rush hours, and dangerous for pedestrians (especially children) because of inadequate safety provisions.  The new checkpoint was  inaugurated south of the old one, for public and private transportation and for pedestrians, intended solely for the residents of the camp – holders of blue ID cards, and those with Palestinian ID cards who possess appropriate permits.  There are five vehicle inspection stations at the checkpoint, and two for pedestrians (one of which is currently closed) where scanners have been installed but are not yet operating.  According to the army, representatives of government agencies will also be present to provide services to residents of the neighbourhood.  The pedestrian lanes are very long, located far from the small parking lots, and accessible through only a single revolving gate.

       

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