‘Azzun ‘Atma, Deir Ballut, Wed 6.8.08, Afternoon
17:15 Deir Ballut Checkpoint – not manned.
17:25 Azzun Atma Checkpoint
Ten cars and an old man on a donkey from the direction of the West Bank, waiting to be checked at the entrance to the village.
We approached the checkpoint, and even passed the yellow gate to try and count the long line of cars curving around the sloping road at the exit from the village. A commander prevented us from crossing to the other side, or even standing between the checking stations, and declared that these few metres are his private territory and, after two minutes while talking/arguing with us the yellow gate was closed in order that everyone should understand who was causing delays here.
We went out beyond the gate, which immediately opened. Despite the pre4sence of more than ten soldiers on the ground, only cars from the West Bank side were being checked. On the other side the number in line mounted from 12 to 20.
Five pedestrians were checked and passed through, one by one.
17:50 – a phone call to the Centre to complain about the situation perhaps caused them to speed up. The line ended and they began to deal with outbound cars.
Again a line of ten pedestrians coming out of the village, mostly getting rides in the cars being passed through relatively quickly, but at any given moment between 5-10 pedestrians waiting.
18:10 – again two cars are passed through to the village, and they go back to dealing with the outbound traffic.
18:30 Jalud Checkpoint
The southern exit from Qalqiliya. Four cars in line, each being checked including passenger IDs. In response to Hagar's question why they are checking travellers from the West Bank to Qalqiliya, which is also Palestine, the answer was that it is order to prevent drug smuggling…
18:45 – Azzun with open passages.
'Azzun 'Atma
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'Azzun 'Atma
A Palestinian village of about 1,800 residents. The settlement of Sha'arei Tikva was established on its land adjacent to it, and the settlement of Oranit was established on its agricultural lands. By 2013, the separation fence had passed through the village and a checkpoint staffed by the army allowed the residents to cross from side to side. After building a massive wall surrounding the village and some of its agricultural lands, the residents went daily for five years to their lands that remained in the Seam Zone through the Oranit agricultural checkpoint (4). Since 2018 it has only opened during the olive harvest and the farmers have to pass daily at the Beit Amin / Abu Salman checkpoint (1447), about 3 kilometers north.From a report from March 24, 2021: "The farmers from Beit Amin and Azon Atma are happy that since February 21 the Oranit checkpoint .is going to be open 3 times a day, The farmers are really developing the place."
Report from July 14, 2024: "Ornit checkpoint is closed . The Beit Amin/Abu Salman agricultural checkpoint is closed (there is no contact with the military to check if it opens rarely), the Ezbat Jaloud checkpoint was opened once a day before the war.
Updated for July 2024
Apr-11-2019Azoun: The main entrance to village blocked now for several weeks
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Deir Ballut
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An internal checkpoint on Road 446 at the entrance to the village of Deir Ballut and near the settlements there, Alei Zahav and Peduel. Partially staffed, vehicles are inspected at random.
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