Translator: Suzanne O.

A visit to Kafr A Dik after the army 'Intifada'

Following this is a report of our visit to the Azzun Atma roadblock.  Unfortunately we didn't get to Haris.  (See request from a man from Haris at the end of the report.)

 We set out at 3:00 p.m., in order to find out what is going on at the Azzun Atma roadblock.  However, beforehand we went to Kafr A Dik because we were told that the army had just left there after demolishing two buildings and a rainwater well.

"We had an army Intifada here", we were told.

We went into the village, there beside the council a resident of the village met us and took us to where the terrorist act took place.

It was a long way along an unpaved lane between hills and rocks, under the tunnel and on the hill, between the beautifully tended olive groves.  Wonderful scenery!

We arrived at the ruins, it turns out that it was not a dwellings but a social meeting place in the heart of the countryside.

"We don't have anywhere to go to have a good time like you do, so we made ourselves a place.  Who does it bother?  I asked a soldier: why do you come over here every day, it just annoys us.  And he answered: That's the idea…"

"Make a film about us so that everyone knows and sees what goes on here".  We tried to explain that there are indeed people who make such films, but there is not much of an audience for them… to our shame.

We took both stills photos and a video.  I have to edit the video and it will take time.

The Report:

At 4:30 p.m. we arrived at Azzun Atma roadblock.  It is nothing like it was two weeks ago.

Reservists are stationed there and they work efficiently.  The queue is short and it moves and progresses satisfactorily.  We spoke to the soldiers.  They told us that in the morning the labourers cross this roadblock from the West Bank to the area of the juncture with Israeli territory, from there they can move into Israel with no problems.

Therefore, in the morning, the inspection is more stringent and it is more crowded.  In contrast, in the evening as they return from the Israeli territory to the West Bank, it is less stringent and therefore the queue moves faster.

However, when we started to leave Palestinians told us "Come every day, the queue moves more quickly when you are here…"

This completed our shift.  Although we wanted to go to Haris, where buildings were demolished today, dusk directed us homewards.

It is very desirable for members to go to Haris and contact the resident at the number we published.