Jubara, Irtah, Thursday PM, 5.1.2006 Watchers: Rina D., Rachel H. (reporting) Summary: The closure has been lifted. Few laborers crossing at Irtah. Ordinary “back-to-back” activity [offloading and reloading merchandise so that vehicles won’t cross the checkpoint]. Jubara has fairly heavy traffic, passing quickly. The Border Police are checking near Tulkarm …this is the first time we have seen this.16.00 Irtah – The pedestrian lane is open. The soldier says about 90 people passed in the morning: vendors, laborers, people wishing to meet their families, personal reasons. When we arrived two laborers alighted from their car and entered the enclosure. A soldier of the ‘Taoz’ unit [Military Police] explained to us the rules of the day. Passage permits are given for 2-3 months. He says that the checkpoint at Qalqiliya is called “Rachel 107.”16.15 Irtah – Back-to-back activity. The checkpoint was closing. The hours are 06.30 to 16.30. One entered and another was stopped because it was late. The woman soldier said the traffic had been as normal that day and that the new building would be opened the following week.16.25 Jubara – Pressure at the checkpoint. 7 detainees, 3 of whom had been there for three and a half hours. One a teacher and one a doctor who works in Tulkarm and lives in Jayyus. They were stopped about two miles before the checkpoint and their IDs taken. They were told to walk to the checkpoint where they would get the IDs back but the soldiers there knew nothing of the matter. They said it was a matter of the Border Police and they did not know whom to contact. We tried some phone calls and then decided to go ourselves to the crossroads where we had seen a jeep. The soldiers there also denied any knowledge and said we could phone the office of the Border Police [number given] and there we got a phone number for the Ayush BP. We phoned and went back to Jubara as it got dark. At the checkpoint we saw the three had been released but the commander gave us no details. He scolded us for talking to the Palestinians and would not let us approach the area near the entrance to Tulkarm, where the [suicide bombing] attack had taken place. [Ed note: this refers to the event described in Tulkarm reports of Thursday, Dec. 29.]17.30 – Busy traffic because the closure has ended and also because of the Moslems’ Id El Adha holiday. 12 cars waiting from the east for a few minutes but the checking is done closely and each bag is checked. In the distance about 20-30 people waiting to leave Tulkarm are waiting about 5 minutes. [This is] tiring and exhausting.