Translator:  Charles K.

14:30 Habla –The gate is closed (we arrived late because we took a wrong turn).  A cart, horse and young man lying in the shade wait for it to open at 17:45.

14:55  Eliyahu crossing –They’re working on the checkpoint. Two bulldozers are digging along its width. It looks as if they’re reducing the size of the plaza in order to widen the crossing lanes, or maybe add a lane.

15:10  Izbat at Tabib –We continued from the Eliyahu crossing and turned to the village of Izbat at Tabib.  We saw the new fence along the road bordering the village.  Despite the height of the three layers of concertina wire piled on atop the other, it seems that someone who wished could cross it without much effort – so the army’s justification for erecting it – security reasons – isn’t really valid.

15:45 Jayyous –From Izbat at Tabib we drove to Azzun, and then down to Jayyous.  As we passed Na’im’s taxi stand he came out when he recognized the sign on our car.  With characteristic grace and generosity he insisted on inviting us for coffee.  Young men sat waiting for a taxi.  They were graduates of Al-Najah University and spoke English.  For the first time I could hear people joking satirically about the situation, despairing and hopeless, smiling cynically.