Ar-Ras, Azzun, Beit Iba, Jit, Mon 14.1.08, Afternoon
Beit Iba, 14.55 We arrive at the parking lot and go to the checkpoint. The fence which separates the road from the pedestrians almost reaches the kiosk now. The buses stand at the side waiting for the young people to come through the checking area. The renovations continue. The DCO representative shows us with pride the electric checkpoint for cars which will be like that of the malls he says and takes us on a tour of the electric installations and the computers. One of the soldiers expresses his amazement at the amount of money which is being wasted on such a massive installation. In the meantime the passage between the two turnstiles is slow. Each time a button is pressed two young people come through. Each time they go through the magnometer it squeaks and they have to go back taking everything out of their pockets. Humiliating. At the side the men over 45 and women and children go through and sometimes younger people are sent through thus dividing families. The older people then have to wait a long time for the younger members. Who can pass on the side?. The commander says judges, doctors, teachers and lawyers even if they are younger. When there is great pressure younger men are allowed to pass at the side.
We see two detainees in the enclosure. The DCO representative finds out that they were found in the fields and at 15.15 frees them. The one who was a porter whom Elisheva knew says he was detained for 4 hours. Now the soldier brings two older Palestinians to the enclosure. They were also found crossing through the fields. Shortly after that the commander comes leading an elderly man of about 50 to the enclosure saying he will keep him there for 4 hours. Elisheva speaks to the centre and they say they will try to deal with this.
15.30 In site of the magnometer a young Palestinians who has a suitcase and some parcels has to open the suitcase and take everything out and also the plates and cups from the packages. Those entering Nablus are not checked. Two young men accompanying their mother pass on the side. One gets permission to do so but the other has to go into the ordinary line. The captain makes no distinctions. He is even prepared to go back a long way so as to bring back anyone who has tried to slip through. Let them sit in the enclosure and learn a lesson. Elisheva again phones the centre about the possibility of these people being freed and they say they will deal with it and at 16.30 when she phones those detained they say they have been freed.
16.45 Jit is empty and also the entrance to Azzun is open.
'Azzun
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Azoun (updated February 2019)
A Palestinian town situated in Area B (under civil Palestinian control and Israeli security control),
on road 5 between Nablus and Qalqiliya, east of Nabi Elias village. The inhabitants are allowed to construct and improve infrastructures. The Separation Fence has confiscated lands belonging to the town's people. In 2018 olive tree groves owned by one of its inhabitants were confiscated for the sake of paving a road to bypass Nabi Elias. Azoun population numbers 13,000, its economic state dire. Its infrastructures are poor, neglect and poverty rampant. In the meantime, the town council has completed paving an internal road for the inhabitants' welfare.
Because of its proximity to the Jewish settler-colony of Karnei Shomron and its outposts, the town suffers the intense presence of the Israeli army, especially at nighttime: soldiers enter homes, arrest suspects, trash the house and sometimes ruin it, as they do in numerous places in the West Bank. At times a checkpoint closes the entrance to the town, so no one can come in or get out.
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A-Ras (The Children Checkpoint)
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A-Ras (The Children Checkpoint)
On Tulkarm-Qalqiliya road (574), east of Hirbet Jubara. tia checkpoint is dedicated to residents traveling to and from Tulkarm, so they should not cross apartheid road 557 (only permissible for settlers).
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Beit Iba
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A perimeter checkpoint west of the city of Nablus. Operated from 2001 to 2009 as one of the four permanent checkpoints closing on Nablus: Beit Furik and Awarta to the east and Hawara to the south. A pedestrian-only checkpoint, where MachsomWatch volunteers were present daily for several hours in the morning and afternoon to document the thousands of Palestinians waiting for hours in long queues with no shelter in the heat or rain, to leave the district city for anywhere else in the West Bank. From March 2009, as part of the easing of the Palestinian movement in the West Bank, it was abolished, without a trace, and without any adverse change in the security situation.
Jun-4-2014Beit-Iba checkpoint 22.04.04
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Jit Junction
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The checkpoint is located on Route 60 near at the junction with Route 55, near the village of Jit. There was a checkpoint for vehicles passing between the north and south of the West Bank, which was abolished towards 2010. Since then, surprise checkpoints have been set up there from time to time with a police or Border Police vehicle, and vehicles and their passengers are inspected.
Anat PolakJul-17-2025Yitzhar Road, Jit Junction: traffic jam
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