Jalame, 250, Tuesday, 31.8.04, AM Observers: Yocheved G., Netta G. (reporting) Guest: Dorit D. 6:00: Two check posts at the checkpoint: an electronic gate for women and a table with hand detector for the men. Immediately they told us to move back from the checkpoint, “according to the instructions of the regiment commander.” According to the soldiers, they don’t have enough personnel for a third check post.They didn’t permit us to pass to 250. According to the company’s second officer, who goes through the checkpoint, because of yesterday’s events and the shooting at Tzir Ganim-Kadim, the checkpoint at 250 is closed, and they are also going to close the checkpoint at Jalame. Two helicopters are circling above the checkpoint. 6:40: They allow us to travel to 250. The checkpoint is closed, and the soldier in the guard tower tells us that it will not be opened today. A few cars that arrive from the direction of Jenin wait a number of minutes and turn back. There is no sign to inform people of the closure. 7:00: On the Palestinian side of the Jalame checkpoint, about 10 women and about 25 men are waiting. Traders begin to arrive. The checkpoint is in fact open, but passage is slow. Laborers who work in the Netanya-Tel Aviv area complain again that they are no longer permitted to go through the southern checkpoint. 7:40: We passed to the Israeli side of the checkpoint. Again they distanced us from the check post. After several attempts we reached Major Y., the officer of the military police at the checkpoint, who said that today, checking is especially strict because of disturbances. In response to our request, he said that he will check into the possibility of adding a third check post (we don’t know whether it has been added). He also said that he was preparing to open the back-to-back area at 8:00, although he doesn’t know whether trucks will arrive. 8:10: The back-to-back area is empty. Checkpoint 250 is closed and Palestinian trucks are not able to arrive, although they arranged with an Israeli truck and they have authorization from the DCO. One Israeli truck driver insists on waiting next to the gate of the closed area; others return to Israel.