Irtah, Jubara, Ar-Ras, and Anabta – Monday AM, March 27, 2006 Watching and reporting: Naomi L. and Roni S.Summary: sparse traffic at all checkpoints, despite the fact that traffic appears to be pretty lively on the road. There were no remarkable events.6:45 – Jubara. There’s one detainee [being held pending a security check] at the gate, but he was no longer there when we returned from the Schoolchildren’s Gate. We went up to the Schoolchildren’s Gate. This gate (which number is 22) is open only to agricultural laborers and permit holders. Residents of the village of Flama, whose lands are in Jubara, are not allowed to cross through it.An older agricultural laborer from Flama village was allowed to cross, but his sons, who have the same permit, were not allowed. The school buses crossed with no problems, and the drivers reported that the arrangement is working well.7:15 – we didn’t go down to the lower road, and continued on to Anabta.In Anabta – fast passage from Tulkarm to Nablus.No passage permitted to [males?] ages 15 to 40. No passage to residents of the Jenin district, and of the villages Zeida, Atil, and Bala’a, villages that, according to the soldiers, are “problematic.” There isn’t an additional roadblock near Anbata, as was the case recently. On the other hand, permitted to pass are those who hold student cards, doctors, and humanitarian cases [medical and other special needs cases]. Women go through with no problem after their ID cards are checked.Taxis are allowed to pass through only from the villages of Shufa, Beit Lid, and Zafrin. The rest of the taxis are not permitted to cross. The soldiers are courteous and efficient.08:05 – we continued on to Beit Iba (in a separate report; see under Nablus). After finishing the watch in Beit Iba, we returned toward Jubara.09:45 – we went down to the Ar-Ras checkpoint. The Jubara checkpoint commander gave us his phone number, on his own initiative, in case we would need help. At Ar-Ras checkpoint, almost no traffic was visible. The soldiers claim that there’s no problem to pass from the villages to Tulkarm. Traffic flows in both directions.A handicapped young man, on a rickety wheelchair, arrives in a taxi to the checkpoint. He gets off, crosses the checkpoint on foot, and waits there for a taxi which would take him to Tulkarm University.10:15 we returned, through Jubara, home.