Jubara, Irtah, Ar-Ras, Anabta, Wednesday AM, May 10, 2006Watchers: Elisheva E., Rina T. (reporting)Summary:a. a Kafkaesque story of land owners with “seam line” permits [land where the former border used to run], who have no way to get to the lands and cultivate them, and of how they were harassed at the Tulkarm DCO [District Coordination Office of the IDF Civil Administration, that issues passage permits] where one hand has no clue what the other hand is doing, and the victims are of course the Palestinians.b. A taxi driver was beaten by two soldiers at the Anabta checkpoint a week ago and required medical treatment, only because he crossed the “imaginary line.”06:40, Irtah. The place is desolate. The closure [blanket restriction of passage regardless of permits] continues.06:45-07:45, The Agricultural Laborers’ Gate (753). Around 15 men and women, who hold agricultural permits to the “seam line” area, permits valid for Gate no. 22 (which is Gate 753), are not allowed to cross, despite the fact that until now they have been crossing here on a regular basis. According to the checkpoint commander, they indeed were allowed to cross until now, but this was a mistake; and since the permits were issued in Qalqilya they must go to Gate No. 839 which is beyond the village of Ar-Ras (a distance of a few kilometers away as the crow flies, and who knows how far on the routes accessible to Palestinians), and it makes no difference if the lands they own are near Gate 753. This sentence needs to be read at least one more time for it to register in what a mad (and cruel) world they live. The people claimed that at Gate 839 passage is permitted only to those working in Salit. We spoke with Kamil, the DCO commander, and he said that their permits are valid only for the olive picking season. Dudi, the battalion commander, promised to send over the company commander to clear things up, and indeed he arrived after a few minutes, confirmed the words of the checkpoint commander, calmed the agitated people down with soft words, and send them to the Tulkarm DCO to get the right permits. And, indeed, we met them at the Ar-Ras checkpoint waiting for a taxi to take them to the DCO, pleased that there’s a solution, despite the running around, the time spent, and the expense incurred (what patience). But when we called one of the people a while later it turned out that this Kafkaesque story ended in disappointment. They got a negative answer at the DCO, which didn’t care what the company commander said; and so they lost a day of work and money that they don’t have in transportation costs. And the question remains – how will they get to water the crops on their lands, crops which may wither and die in these hot days.07:45, Ar-Ras Sparse traffic. No restrictions on travel from southwards, and from northwards (Jenin and Tulkarm) there’s no passage to [males] between the ages of 15 and 30.08:15 – 08:35 – Anabta.There are few cars in both directions. The instructions today are that there is no restriction at the entrance to Tulkarm, but those who enter are warned that they would not be able to leave in vehicles, except for residents of three villages: Beit Lid, Shofa, and Safrin. It wasn’t clear to the checkpoint commander from where one could exit. It took time also for the DCO to check this out (from the underpass road). At the exit there’s no passage for [males] ages 15 to 30, but students do cross.The checkpoint commander told of a Palestinian who arrived that morning and told that he was beat up by soldiers at the checkpoint. The man told, in a phone conversation, that he is a taxi driver who arrived at the checkpoint last Tuesday (May 2nd) at 6:20 am with a few elderly passengers. They asked him to wait near by for the event that they will be sent back. A spectacled soldier asked him to pull further away, and when he tried to explain the situation to him, he began to beat and kick him. Then another soldier arrived, an Ethiopian, and he too beat him. The spectacled soldier took his documents away from him. The complainant drove to Tulkarm to get medical treatment since he was bleeding. He has a letter from a doctor about the injury. He returned two hours later and send his friend to pick up his documents from that soldier, and indeed the documents were returned. The man is afraid to give his personal information lest his livelihood be jeopardized.