Residents of ‘Azzun ‘Atma and ‘Izbet Salman also use the Jalloud checkpoint (1419), which means they need a vehicle or transportation to reach their groves and greenhouses which are beyond walking distance, about 3-4 kilometers each way. Some of the people who cross here are from Siniriyya and Beit Amit, which are even farther away.  Were the checkpoints to open at ‘Azzun Atma and/or ‘Izbet Salman, things would be different.  Now farmers with cars and tractors also transport others, because not everyone has a vehicle. That’s a normal daily occurrence now for a farmer, whose routine ought to involve going to and from his fields and groves when and how he pleases – something that has been denied him for years.

12:30  We drove around the fence to Elkana to see whether people who are in Israel illegally had been detained, and see what was happening in general.  We returned toward Oranit and drove on the road along the fence to Jalloud.

12:40  Jalloud checkpoint (1419) 

It opens at 06:15 and at 13:00.

On our way here we met people waiting at the ‘Izbet Salman gate (checkpoint 1447 – opens at 08:00 and again at 11:00).  Today it didn’t open at 11:00 – fortunately, someone (us) was there to inform them, because they didn’t know, and they were lucky to have a tractor which could take them to the Jalloud gate.

Residents of ‘Azzun ‘Atma and ‘Izbet Salman also use the Jalloud checkpoint (1419), which means they need a vehicle or transportation to reach their groves and greenhouses which are beyond walking distance, about 3-4 kilometers each way.  Some of the people who cross here are from Siniriyya and Beit Amit, which are even farther away.  There are people here with cars and tractors who also transport others because not everyone has a vehicle, or when vehicles aren’t allowed through.

Tractors arrive loaded with za’atar and citrus from the fields and groves.  All wait for the gate to open.

13:15  We try to learn from the DCL what’s going on, where are the soldiers who should open the gate.  The DCL says the gate is supposed to open at 13:00 but there had been an error, the soldiers were told to open at 13:30 and they’ll arrive by then.

13:25  The soldiers arrive and open the gate.

People leave Jalloud on foot and walk to the grove opposite.  Cars and tractors must slalom around the gate; they’re skilled at the maneuver and succeed.

Everyone crossed.  We hurried to Habla.

13:55  Habla checkpoint (1393)

There is no line; whoever arrives goes through.

The school bus returns from ‘Arab Ramadin.

14:15  The gates close.