Irtah, Jubara, underpass checkpoint, Anabta, Wednesday AM, February 22, 2006Watchers: Rina T., Inbal R. Elisheva E. (reporting)6:50 IrtahThe laborers exit and have no complaints. Everyone is rushing to get to work. We didn’t pause at the Jubara checkpoints. We’ll do so on the way back.7:05 The checkpoint in the tunnel road, Beit Ar-Ras intersection We went down to this checkpoint for the first time. One needs to navigate her way through pits part of the way (whoever has back problems should give up this pleasure).There are thirty cars from the Tulkarm direction. Taxis, privates, and two buses. They say they’ve been standing for four hours! Whoever can do so, gets out of the car and crosses on foot. Pedestrian inspection is rapid.The owner of a private car tells us that yesterday he went out of Tulkarm at 12:00 and reached Ramallah at 20:00!!! Without our cueing him, he said that had there been two more soldiers there, passage would have been quicker. . .Vehicles arriving from the east are not inspected.7:15- the two school buses from Jubara arrive. The drivers are happy that both gates are open.We updated them about the opening hours in the afternoon (12:45 to 14:00). They know also that sometimes soldiers have to leave for a few minutes to open the nearby Farmworkers’ gate and then return to open. This doesn’t happen often, and when it does it’s the drivers’ decision whether to wait or drive around.MachsomWatchers comment: This checkpoint is very much overloaded, and if there’s time before the end of the occupation, it should be made more efficient!We left through Ar-Ras and stopped at the school a short time before classes begin. The joy with which we were met by the children made us think how different everything could have been. The school principal, Rasim Atut (tel. # for internal distribution) told us that from time to time there’s a roadblock between the village and Beit Lid, in which case, of course, some teachers have difficulty arriving from that direction.We drove to Beit Iba (separate report; see under Nablus) and from there to Anabta.9:10 AnabtaAround ten vehicles wait in the direction of Tulkarm. They’ve been standing there for a long time, because soldiers let mostly pedestrians through. When we drew the attention of the inspecting soldiers to this, they began to let vehicles through as well, and everyone crossed relatively quickly.Pedestrians cross with no inspection, and from time to time without being stopped or standing in queue.Jenin residents, and residents of the villages Seida, Iler, and Atul, do not pass through either by car or on foot.Merchandise is transferred in and out only through Irtah, but food products in small quantities, in vans and such, cross “within the limits of reason.” This information was checked and was given to us by the battalion commander.We didn’t hear any complaints from Shifa residents and taxi drivers, and it looks as if the restriction on entrance from Jubara was revoked.The warm sun and the green fields, strewn with anemones, were not in harmony with the human scene.We passed through Jubara on the way back. There are no detainees [for security checks], and still no illegals [i.e. those lacking permits to be in Israel].