‘Azzun, Falamiya North Checkpoint (914), Falamiya South Checkpoint (935)
Vehicle checkpoints at the entrance to and exit from Azzun. They were gone when we returned in the evening. The information Nina received from the DCL about the checkpoint hours is incorrect. She was told Falamya south is open from 16:35 to 16:55 and Falamya north from 17:00 to 17:20.
15:50 We began at ‘Azzun, to visit Z. who’s ill. A checkpoint at the entrance to ‘Azzun. Soldiers inspect cars, some at length, others sent through. We’re sent through – one of the soldiers raises his hands in surprise when he sees us. Z. is in his shop, feels good and Nina gives him what she’s brought. We leave for Falamya.
16:00 Beneath the Highway 55 bridge, on the road from ‘Azzun to Jayous, a long line of cars. Two youths standing by the road say “a checkpoint.” We go through about ten minutes later, the soldiers smile and wish us a good day. Here too some of the cars are stopped for a more thorough inspection and others are waved through. But only one lane is open, so whoever is coming from Jayyus/Tulkarm must wait their turn, as must those coming from the other direction. We drive to Falamya south. Huge puddles on the unpaved road between the fields, and after we go through three of four of them, some terribly muddy, we decide not to continue to Falamya south, turn back and drive to Falamya north. This is a gravel road and even though there are puddles we’re unlikely to get bogged down.
16:50 The checkpoint is closed; no one is waiting. We’re very frustrated – this is the second time recently that the gates are closed and we were given the wrong hours. The DCL reports there was an incident – which seems to explain why there were roadblocks – and the soldiers have been delayed reaching the gate, but no one is waiting – and the Palestinians know when the gate is supposed to open…
We continue to the owner of the grocery in Kafr Jimal where we’re updated about the northern checkpoint’s hours:
Falamya north 914: morning 06:00-06:30, afternoon 12:45-13:10, evening 16:00-16:20.
We’re not sure about Falamya south, but in the morning it certainly opens after Falamya north (because they don’t open in the dark), and before Famalya north in the evening. Afternoon?
Otherwise, friendly conversations and we run into a few villagers at the grocery.
'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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Falamiya North (914)
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Falamiya North (914) Opens 3 times a day for about 40 minutes each time. This checkpoint has extremely important for all farmers in the area since the previous, Falamya checkpoint opening routine of continuously open for 12 hours has been discontinued. This took place after the separation fence was moved westward following the High Court of Justice.
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Falamiya South (935)
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