Ar-Ras, Jubara, Anabta, Dir Sharaf, Thursday PM, 20 April 2006 Watchers: Hagar L., Nava M. (reporting)Guest: Rachel G.Summary of Movement and Transit Restrictions The restrictions and trend of separation between districts is growing: care taken to isolate north from east and south. Transit is possible only in the direction of place of residence (residents of Nablus may only return to Nablus). At a number of checkpoints we are informed that our presence is forbidden.Rolling checkpoint south of Jayyus village on Route 574 – there is no passage southward to all residents of the northern districts: Jenin, Tulkarm, Nablus and the villagers along Route 574: Kfar Sur, Kfar Zibad, A-Ras, Palma, Jayyus or villages north of Route 55 such as Shufa, Safrin, Beit Lid, Kfar Abus. Passage is possible only for residents returning home, such as Qalqiliya, Azun and surroundings. On our way back in the evening hours, we tried to check whether the checkpoint was still there, because we were afraid to go down to it in the dark, but we couldn’t find anyone to ask in Azun.Earthworks roadblock on the turn to Beit Lid on the road up to Kfar Zur – there only remains one small opening from the village on the road down to Route 57 (in the direction of Anabta and Nablus).A-Ras Checkpoint on Route 574 – no passage south for residents of the northern districts: Jenin, Tulkarm and Nablus.Jubara Checkpoint (the entrance to the village) – entry and exit only permitted for residents of Jubara and farmers holding permits.Anabta Checkpoint (Routes 57 and 557) – closure on Tulkarm: there is no exit at all from the direction of Tulkarm for vehicles from the northern districts: Jenin, Tulkarm, Nablus. Exit is permitted for vehicles from the centre and southern districts and residents of Shufa, Safrin and Beit Lid. Entry to Tulkarm is permissible for everyone. Humanitarian cases and doctors can pass at the discretion of the checkpoint commander. There is no DCO representative on the spot.Rolling Checkpoint [i.e. roadblock] at Turn to Dir Sharaf (Junction Route 57/60) – check of IDs for drivers and passengers.Checkpoint on Route 60 at Dir Sharaf (next to Shavei Shomron Army Base) – completely blocked for civilian traffic, Palestinian or Israeli – open only to military traffic.14:15 Azun – at the entrance to the village from Route 55 no block, and according to the residents there hasn’t been since morning. Below, on the road to Tulkarm (574) there is a rolling checkpoint. The commander refuses to cooperate and answer our questions about today’s restrictions on movement. But we learn that not only residents of the northern districts, who are in any case blocked at A-Ras, are not allowed to pass but also all the residents of villages along the road to Tulkarm including all the villages north of Route 55. In practice transit is possible only for those residents for whom this is the way home; Qalqiliya and Azun. Traffic is thin, one car every few minutes, shallow and fast check (ID cards and a quick glance in the car). One car was refused. Change of shift. The fresh team are more thorough. Taking the passengers out of the taxis, checking the baggage compartment, opening bags, etc. There are delays, a line begins to grow. The commander is not hostile like his predecessor, and tells us the orders: “whoever lives from this point north is not allowed to pass here in the direction of Azun, but must go back to Tulkarm and from there via Anabta.” In passing through in the evening we tried to clarify with an Azun resident whether the checkpoint is still there (we were afraid to go down in the dark) but it seems that he didn’t understand our question.14:40 The Road to Beit Lid – an earth barricade which was reported recently, at the turn from the road from Sur towards Beit Lid – still exists. The officer in the jeep parked there contends that we are prohibited from being there according to an order from high up. For “our benefit” he suggests that we go home because “it’s dangerous here.”>14:56 Something New at A-Ras Checkpoint – checking stations from concrete cubes. A long line from the direction of Tulkarm (26 cars). Two or three cars in the opposite direction. The commander speaks Arabic. The instructions: “No transit south for Tulkarm, Jenin and Nablus residents. All others can pass.” Superficial checks (IDs and a few questions) but it moves vey sluggishly. Many asked to be moved to the head of the line.A woman with two children, without ID, is refused. We tried to intervene, but she didn’t wait – just turned back.Three buses, a school trip from Ramallah on their way back to Tulkarm. According to the school principal, they have already been waiting an hour and a quarter in the line – the children are hungry and thirsty. The principal is asking to be moved up in the line and let through quickly. The commander is inclined to agree, but doesn’t change his decision and allows other cars to pass. When their turn comes, a soldier enters each bus, quickly checks the IDs of the accompanying adults. Drivers and pedestrians are stopped 20 metres away at an imaginary line, and approach when ordered to show their IDs. The long line progresses very slowly, in addition to those cars that are sent back – all this raises a feeling of humiliation for the residents. The last car in the line had not moved up by much by the time we left.16:30 Jubara – we descend to Jubara Checkpoint by way of the Schoolchildren’s Gate (Gate 22) which opened at 16:00. Together with us, agricultural workers who have finished their work in the fields of Jubara village.17:00 Anabta Checkpoint (Route 57 – 557) – a line of 11 vehicles (only trucks and taxis) at the exit from Tulkarm, 20 vehicles at the entry. The cars coming out and entering are inspected with only a question “where are you from?” There is absolutely no exit for residents of Tulkarm, Jenin and Nablus districts, neither in cars nor on foot. Humanitarian cases and doctors are subject to the judgment of the checkpoint commander. Vehicles are turned back. The few cars coming out of Tulkarm are those of residents of Hebron or Ramallah or of Shufa, Safarin and Beit Lid. We try to clarify among residents returning to Tulkarm whether they let the students out this morning. Students from Ramallah say yes (but they may have come out a few days ago). Students from Nablus and other workers went to Nablus through Beit Iba and by round about routes and are now returning through the checkpoint. We encounter cars from Shufa and Safarin which were sent back at the rolling checkpoint by Jayus three hours earlier. This is the time that it took cars to traverse the route from A-Ras and Tulkarm to Anabta. An ambulance comes out from Tulkarm.18:00 Dir Sharaf Junction (Routes 57 and 60) – three cars in line from the southeast. The instructions, as told to us by the commander “Residents of Jenin and Tulkarm may not pass towards Nablus.” We stop at the butcher’s at the entrance to Dir Sharaf, and asked what happened to him after he was arrested a week ago at a checkpoint on Route 60 next to Shavei Shomron.. He says that he and his family were held on the spot until midnight, when the patrol commander arrived and returned his car keys and their IDs. In an attempt to find out what happened to the lands of the village beyond the checkpoint, it was suggested to us that we talk to the mayor. We obtained his phone number and will talk to him in the coming days.The checkpoint at Dir Sharaf junction (Routes 57 and 60) which was functioning an hour ago, has been removed. For the so-called “block during office hours” it is difficult to believe that a security consideration guided the decision to place this block..