06:30, The Be’takh checkpoint (north of
the former Taibeh checkpoint – also called Tulkarm checkpoint) is
quite empty. Besides the soldiers not a soul — total curfew: no
one is allowed through, even with permits. Nonetheless, one person
with a special curfew permit was let through, as well as those with
blue ID. There were no taxis waiting, no pedestrians, only one
lorry on the Israeli side, told that at 8am he can unload. Jabbara
checkpoint (inside the West Bank, about 5km east of the former
Taibeh checkpoint). This is a crossroads point both between the
West Bank and Israel and between Tulkarm and other cities —
Nablus, Ramallah and the many villages scattered on the hills
around. All Israeli cars to and from the West Bank take the paved
road, while nobody from the Palestinian side is allowed on them, or
even tries to go over to the Israeli side. There is busy traffic on
the bumpy dirt roads from the Northern part of the West Bank toward
the dirt road eastbound to Nablus and north east toward Ramallah.
About 5 ambulances came from the north, taxis going in both
directions, children carrying plastic bags with goods to sell,
children on donkeys and carts, and pedestrians. The traffic was
moving through cursory checking by the soldiers. We were told that
there was no curfew of any kind. Two young mothers came walking
from the north with four little kids aged two to three, towards
Jabbara. They were not allowed use the paved road. No amount of
pleading helped, they had to take the longer dirt road. We inquired
with the taxi drivers if anyone would take them over, free of
charge, as they were penniless, and one was at last willing to do
so. Above the checkpoint soil and big rock boulders were being
excavated illegally by an Israeli contractor. The land is not his,
and the soldier said he should be reported to the authorities. We
have the contractor’s name and number.