Jubara, Anabta, Sunday, 19.02.06, PMObservers: Aliya S., Nur B., Susan L. (reporting)Summary: Today is the day after the Hamas-led Palestinian parliament took office. Our newspapers have already told us that ties with the Palestinian Authority “will be reduced” as of Sunday. How Israel is responding to Hamas electoral victory is made eminently clear in today’s shift. The concept of “pressure” becomes clearly defined and understood, since its manifestation is all around us. “Pressure… the application of continuous force by one body on another; an oppressive condition of physical, mental social or economic distress.”Jubara13:20 — we are greeted by a new yellow sign, in Hebrew and Arabic, courtesy of the Defense Ministry’s Seam Line Administration, warning that non-Israelis may not use this crossing. Having photographed it, we make our way to the southern checkpoint, and are brusquely asked for our IDs. We point out that we’re just making our way to the Children’s or Agricultural Workers’ Gate at the end of the village, since we want to know if it’s still open, as has been promised. No answer, instead, our IDs are taken away, handed from one soldier to another. We get out of the car, furious, insisting on knowing what’s going on. The commander, a sergeant, returns with the IDs in hand, saying only the driver of the car can enter the village. There’s a list of “watchers,” only one name is on it, no one else has “permission.” Outrageous but, as is not unusual with the slapdash nature of the occupation, the soldiers have confused issues, and yet can still use their authority to make life unpleasant for us.We are not talking about driving to the tunnel below the apartheid road (for which permission has, indeed, been sought). We are talking of going up to the village – a seam line village. The soldier is adamant, and only a number of phone calls to one of our colleagues and her call to “higher ups” has him relent and has us at the Gate shortly before 14:00.13:57 — not a military vehicle or a soldier in sight, and all the gates making up this one “Gate” are firmly closed. This gate has certainly not been open in the recent past. As we are about to leave, the school bus approaches, stops at the teacher’s home, the last home in the village, the one nearest the gate, lets her off, and we talk both to her and to the irate driver. The gate has NEVER been open past 13:00, and the driver wishes it would be open until 15:00. Why hasn’t anything changed, he asks, quite reasonably. Why indeed!Anabta14:30 — the long line, at least 20 vehicles in one direction, at least ten in the other, and the herd of waiting taxis already spells trouble. We’re told that people can get in to Tulkarm, but can’t get out. “Closure,” “quarantine” is in full force, and on this shift we saw more vehicles turning around than getting through in either direction. Huge semi trailers, arguing from their high cabs above the soldiers below, are made to turn around – in agonizingly little space — and go back. There’s no leniency here. Overwhelming force, constant pressure brought to bear on the population. Even a Mercedes, with red government plates is made to turn around at the checkpoint, back to Tulkarm.Twice a soldier is seen walking through the line of vehicles, paving the way for a Humvee to proceed, with as wide a berth as possible between it and the patiently waiting vehicles. For them, it’s about one hour from the junction with the apartheid road to the checkpoint at the military lookout tower – now sporting an Israeli flag from its turret window.In spite of our MachsomWatch badges, we’re asked for our IDs as we get to the soldiers, three of them (Y. probably inside making coffee – we never see him, although he probably sees us). Our rejoinder is swift and strong: “We’re MachsomWatch. Don’t you know who we are?” And the matter is set to rest.14:40 — an Israeli jeep tries to get through the checkpoint in the direction of Tulkarm. The soldier now appeals to us (of all people): “You can’t, he can’t, right?” he retorts. The jeep turns back.A car, bearing “Foreign Press” on its windshield, stops by us. “Will there be a new intifada?” we’re asked by the Palestinian driver. During the ensuing conversation, it’s clear that they understand all the “pressure” that is being put on now, and that will be put on in the coming weeks before the Israeli elections.Many IDs are checked and double checked, first by one, then another soldier. On the other hand, many IDs (particularly of women) are not checked at all. Checking is otherwise methodical, tough and slow, the slowness brought about because of the need to deal with both pedestrians and vehicles in this once pristine valley, now something out of hell (Gehenna).15:30 — Rolling [i.e. unannounced, mobile] checkpoint at the sign for Palestine Construction Company But for the curves in the road and the squeaky clean olive trees, basking in verdant greenery, we might be able to see this temporary checkpoint from Anabta. It is that close. A jeep stands across the roadway. Four soldiers checking cars in the direction from which we’ve come. We’re approached by an angry minivan taxi driver, his ID and the IDs of his passengers have been taken. Nothing moves. They’re waiting. We ask the soldiers what’s going on, getting the usual text book reply: they’ve only been there forty minutes, and the van hasn’t been there long. But “we’re checking.”Just then a jeep from the other direction arrives, a lieutenant greets us pleasantly, then tells us that we are not to talk to soldiers, that we bother them. In return, we ask what is going on with checking, etc. and why a checkpoint so soon after Anabta. “Anabta has nothing to do with me,” he replies (what wonderful military coordination in this occupation), “I’m from Shavei Shomron” (Yes, we know the base sitting in the middle of a settlement). He tells us that there is no rolling checkpoint at the usual junction of Hwys. 60/57 (later confirmed), but he knows that there’s a rolling checkpoint at Jit/Sarra (also later confirmed). Meanwhile, inside the jeep, the driver sits and sits. Outside, one soldier checks IDs, another stands behind the jeep, gun at the ready.The lieutenant and his jeep leave. The soldier says something to the soldier inside the jeep, the IDs reappear, and the mini van and passengers is on its way, as are we.