Azzun, Qalqiliya, Tue 2.10.07, Morning
6:45 Border Police checkpoint at the entrance to Qalqiliya
The checkpoint is almost empty. A taxicab is detained by the side of the road for the purpose of a thorough collective inspection. When this one departs, after being delayed for more than 15 minutes, a second cab is pulled over in its place.
Generally speaking, traffic is flowing, except for the cars that were randomly picked for the thorough inspection.
A young Border Policewoman comes over to find out what we're doing here and why, and to have a discussion about it. She listens, doesn't attack, and the conversation is carried on openly and pleasantly. At the final analysis, unfortunately, the present situation appears to her "logical" because "this is how I was raised." We received no other reasons.
From that policewoman we found out about a female squad commander from the same army base, who slapped a kid that cursed her at the checkpoint, and was caught in the act by the camera of an international photographer. The squad commander was grounded to the base as punishment, her promotion will be postponed, and she will not become an officer. The soldier we were speaking with gave this story as an example of the negative effects of human rights organizations – in her opinion, no red line was crossed, and the punishment was unjust.
Azzun – no checkpoint at the entrance to Azun on road 55.
'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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Qalqiliya checkpoint
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Qalqilya is surrounded on all sides by the separation barrier. The only exit from the city is in the east of the city on the road that leaves the city in an easterly direction. This is where the checkpoint was located. When the checkpoint was active until 2009 our shifts watched long queues of cars being inspected at the only exit from the city to the West Bank. The checkpoint was canceled, but there is a military presence at the entrance to the city.
Nina SebaAug-18-2025Azzun: Enclosed by a high fence and the gate to the village is closed
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