‘Azzun, ‘Azzun ‘Atma, ‘Izbet alTabib, Habla
‘Azzun ‘Atma, Habla, Shufa
06:15 ‘Azzun ‘Atma
The three boys selling coffee are here today but they apparently had gone through the fence because they were later sent back unceremoniously to ‘Azzun ‘Atma. There’s a military unit here that isn’t particularly welcoming, along with a female MP who runs the checkpoint imperiously; get organized, straighten the line, move back, and from time to time the revolving gate closes “until you line up.” The crossing goes slowly; a man we timed took 40 minutes to go through, and the soldiers’ behavior makes the line grow longer; loud, very bitter complaints came from those waiting. We were also warned repeatedly not to approach and when Shoshana left the sidewalk, on which we stood, the “boss” arrived immediately and made her get back up.
After we contacted the Sufa DCL because the revolving gate was repeatedly closed, the “boss” and an MP backing her up came to tell us we’re interfering and complaining to the DCL won’t help. An additional complaint to the DCL (to Suzi, an officer) and, wonder of wonders, suddenly the checkpoint began to operate differently and the crossing became fast and uncomplicated.
Only two inspection stations are open. Towards 07:00 the line began to shorten but still consisted of around 30 people; by 07:00 the numbers are usually negligible.
Soldiers caught a person in Israel illegally while we were there and sat him on the side, and then went “hunting” and returned with three people who’d gone through the fence.
We and our guests went through to see Hani’s trapped home, and then continued to Habla.
07:40 Habla. It is quiet, pastoral, crossing goes smoothly, the gate closes exactly at 08:00.
08:30 ‘Izbet Tabib. We met the school principal next to the protest tent. We were told that this afternoon a large demonstration will be held in all the nearby towns to protest the death of Abu Ein, the minister. They’re convinced the soldiers’ violence caused his death. Even if he died from a heart attack, they believe it was caused by the soldiers’ violence.
We stopped in ‘Azzun to visit Z., our acquaintance. Soldiers are observing at the main entrance to ‘Azzun.
09:50 Shufa
There has been a manned checkpoint for a few months between Shufa and ‘Izbet Shufa. The soldiers say that it’s used by residents of Shufa and ‘Izbet Shufa, but others aren’t permitted to go through and must use the Tulkarm road, a very long detour. A., our friend, was there on his donkey; we had to disappoint him, telling him we aren’t able to intervene regarding the checkpoint (we’d tried) because their lawyer and the humanitarian office are handling the issue.
'Azzun
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Azoun (updated February 2019)
A Palestinian town situated in Area B (under civil Palestinian control and Israeli security control),
on road 5 between Nablus and Qalqiliya, east of Nabi Elias village. The inhabitants are allowed to construct and improve infrastructures. The Separation Fence has confiscated lands belonging to the town's people. In 2018 olive tree groves owned by one of its inhabitants were confiscated for the sake of paving a road to bypass Nabi Elias. Azoun population numbers 13,000, its economic state dire. Its infrastructures are poor, neglect and poverty rampant. In the meantime, the town council has completed paving an internal road for the inhabitants' welfare.
Because of its proximity to the Jewish settler-colony of Karnei Shomron and its outposts, the town suffers the intense presence of the Israeli army, especially at nighttime: soldiers enter homes, arrest suspects, trash the house and sometimes ruin it, as they do in numerous places in the West Bank. At times a checkpoint closes the entrance to the town, so no one can come in or get out.
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'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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'Izbet a-Tabib
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'Izbet a-Tabib
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Habla
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Habla CP (1393)
The Habla checkpoint (1393) was established on the lands of the residents of Qalqilya, on the short road that
connected it for centuries to the nearby town of Habla. The separation barrier intersects this road twice and cut off the residents of Qalqilya from their lands in the seam zone.(between the fence and the green line).
There is a passage under Road 55 that connects Qalqilya to the sabotage This agricultural barrier is used by the farmers and nursery owners established along Road 55 from the Green Line and on both sides of the kurkar road leading to the checkpoint.
This agricultural checkpoint serves the residents of Arab a-Ramadin al-Janoubi (detached from the West Bank), who pass through it to the West Bank and back to their homes. The opening hours (3 times a day) of this agricultural checkpoint are longer than usual, about an hour (recently shortened to 45 minutes), and are coordinated with the transportation hours of a-Ramadin children studying in the occupied in the West Bank.
Nina SebaAug-18-2025Habla: The gate is in the process of closing
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