JUBARA, Tuesday 13 April 2004 PM Observers: Galila, Racheli, Ditza color=red> 14:00 — A large group of detainees is released just as we arrive. B’Tselem representative, Najib, tells us that some of them have been waiting since 08:00.A Palestinian who arrives by car from Tulkarm at 10:45, says he wants to reach his home at Jayyus. He’s not allowed through, according to the soldiers, because of the closure. He works in Tulkarm and makes the journey back and forth daily.An ambulance arrives with a 20-year-old girl who is being drip fed. She hasn’t eaten or drunk for 40 days. The family want to transfer her to an Israeli hospital. They contacted Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) to coordinate the transfer and are awaiting a reply.A very large group of Palestinians coming from the Tulkarm direction stand crowded together in the sun, and are not allowed through. At about 14:30 their release begins at a slow pace. One of them says they have been waiting for four hours. A couple with a two-month-old baby want to reach Tulkarm. The sun is blazing and the baby doesn’t stop crying. We ask the checkpoint commander to deal with them. He claims he is busy checking the large group from Tulkarm. Only after repeated requests does a soldier go over to them and let them through.The ambulance with the girl inside turns back on its tracks. The PHR has informed the family that the hospital in Nablus where she is being treated must make the request for her transfer to Israel.15:15 — The Palestinian en route to Jayyus is still at the checkpoint. We try to contact K. from the army’s District Coordinating Office (DCO) [which deals with civilian matters], but have no success. We contact A., of the same office, who promises to come within half an hour.15:20 — The Palestinian is allowed to go through. The crowding at the Tulkarm exist has eased. The soldiers operate an infuriating routine of gesturing to people to come forward and then to move back if they cross some invisible line. A couple with a baby cross the line, begging to talk to the sergeant, but are waved back.15:45 — An Israeli-Arab father from Zemer comes to collect his two children who are returning after spending the Passover vacation in Tulkarm. The children are not allowed through. A crate of chickens which they brought with them, and which the father wants to take back to make things easier for them, is not allowed across. We again called A. who has still not arrived. The father doesn’t wait and tells us he’ll find a way to get the children home. He told them to take a taxi to a place where he would collect them. Shortly afterwards, he returned with the children from the Nablus direction on the way to their village.16:40 — The checkpoint is empty.16:50 — The Irtah checkpoint (700) is closed.