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‘Azzun ‘Atma, Tue 9.9.08, Afternoon

Place: 'Azzun 'Atma
Observers: Dorit H., Daphna B. (reporting); Translator: Orna B.
Sep-09-2008
| Afternoon
17:00
We got there with the car from a lane by the village side, from the road leading to Elkana and to Ephraim Gates.

This way one can easily get out of the village and into Israel, without any inspection, even by car.

 
When we got to Gate 2 of the Fence, cars are rapidly going through. We stand at a distance and the soldiers are not allowing us to approach the checkpoint. There is no way of seeing what is happening on the other side, next to Beit Amin. Are they waiting in line? Are there any detainees?Are there pedestrians? How many? and cars? At one point we see the soldiers turning in the direction of the road to Beit Amin, gesturing "Go away" and shouting. We have no way of knowing with whom they are dealing, and why. It is totally useless standing there.
Because of the Ramadan we prefer not to cause the closure of the checkpoint, which happens each time we approach the checkpoint and try to cross over to the other side. But it's a very unpleasant feeling. 
On the side of Azun Atma  arrive some workmen who are returning from their work in Israel or the settlements. They cross over rapidly. There are no long queues of vehicles, and those arriving go through fairly rapidly. Apart from the drinking break of the soldiers – one soldier offers his friend two bottles of one and a half litre of Coke and water to choose from. The soldier deliberates and chooses the Coke. All this in full view of those who are fasting. (Who said that there was a general decree not to eat and drink at the checkposts?) 

 
Those in the queue greet us with wide smiles and thank us for coming.

 
A lorry laden with furniture arrives from Azun Atma. Following an argument the soldiers sends it back to where it came from . It is not allowed to pass. We ring A. from the DCO in Qalqiliya who tells us that if the driver is from Azun Atma there should be no reason for stopping him. We enquire and find out that the driver was indeed from Azun Atma but the soldiers refuse to let him through.
10 minutes later an officer arrives and has a lively 10 minutes conversation with the lorry driver. It seems to me like an 'educational' conversation, and then the driver is let through but "for the last time". And indeed at the end of the conversation the man lowers his eyes and avoids us – he quickly gets into the lorry and crosses over. We assume that the officer threatened him that if he talked to us he would not be allowed to pass. Never mind.

 
17:50
We left using the same way we arrived. As we go through the village people stop us and greet us, and wave to us from a distance. 

  • '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

       

      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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