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‘Azzun ‘Atma, Sun 31.8.08, Morning

Place: 'Azzun 'Atma
Observers: Ada H., Rina Z.; Translator: Orna B.
Aug-31-2008
| Morning
5:20 
People already waiting by the road to the Tikva Gates, having passed the road block and the village,  said that today the checkpoint is ok.

 
And indeed all is clam. The checkpoint commander, Lieutenant E., and the rest of the soldiers greet uswarmly and wonder why we are so late. Today the checkpoint opened at 4:30.

 
Pedestrians walk freelly through the carousel, and behind it not even 10 people are waiting, as compared with the dozens or even hundreds we had seen on other days at this time, with all the nerves and anger that builds up with it. Cars too, which are checked at the same time, go through and no more than two cars are waiting in the queue.
 
We thanked Eyal for the calm and efficient handling of the situation. He insisted that we mention that they are the Shavit unit.
Nevertheless, it is possible that today there are less people passing because of the Ramadan which apparently is due to start tomorrow.
We also saw a transit van in the opposite direction – taking workers from Azoon Athma to work in Bidiya.
The blue police roadblock at the junction where the road from the Tikva Gates joins Road no 5. In front of us a transit van bearing a Palestinian number plate, with passengers, was stopped. We had nowhere to stop our car so we could not see what was done to them.

  • 'Azzun 'Atma

    See all reports for this place

    • '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

       

      עזון: הכניסה הראשית לכפר עזון: חסומה כבר מספר שבועות
      Apr-11-2019
      Azoun: The main entrance to village blocked now for several weeks
      View the full album
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