'Anin, Reihan, Shaked, Mon 4.5.09, Morning

Translation: Devorah K.

 6:05 A'anin CP
While we were on our way, a round yellow sun rose, and in the background the sky was gray. Opposite us, there are five soldiers including a man from the DCO; fifteen people are waiting. Those coming out have a note in Arabic which says that such and such a person must return through the same CP on the same day. The novelty is that the lists are updated in the computer and not manually. (What joy to know that we have achieved this!)
 We would like to return three empty containers of oil to Abu S. In answer to his request, we filled them with water to water the young olive trees that he has planted. But --- oops ... the man did not arrive. His permit has not been renewed. Thus, the water dries up in the containers and the seedlings are in the grove; and the man is also drying up in his house after the IDF decided, for our security, that he has nothing more to do on his farmland. 

Little by little the sun disappears from sight, perhaps because of the shame that the occupation causes. And in its stead, a frantic storm came up, the like of which we have never seen. On our way, we met a resident of A'anin who told us his troubles of shortages, of shame and disrespect, about suffering and hunger. He remembers the time when he worked and made a living for his family. And now he doesn't even have a shekel to buy some food. We listened, it was painful and we were helpless. It is hard to hear these stories over and over again.
While he is talking to us, the child standing beside him repeats every sentence. Who will we blame if tomorrow that same little boy will demand restitution from us?

 07:10 Shaked-Tura CP
The CP is open and the first of the little children are already waiting. We try to begin a conversation. They are embarrassed. In another minute, they go through to the soldiers, as they are used to. One by one they open their schoolbags wide and then go on. Somebody who is coming out tells us that today the soldiers are good, really good. It is exam time; many pupils go through to the West Bank and workers are coming from the West Bank to the seamline zone. One of them tells us that he received a permit to go to work on his lands for only four months. In the past he used to get a permit for two years. A. tells us the same thing -- that his permit was confiscated and then returned to him (when we intervened), but only for four months instead of the two years that they had in the past. Sa., the teacher from Umm-el-Reihan, about whom we reported here, is still under arrest. Our joy at his being released on bail -- was premature. His trial will begin at the beginning of June. Lea is in contact with the family and with the lawyer and she will report on it. A storm begins and clouds of sand rise up in front of us.7:45 Most of the workers have left -- and so have we.

 08:00 Reihan-Barta'a CP
A strong wind rocks our car, 80 kph. It raises clouds of sand and dust that fill every corner. The toilets on the upper level are filthy and make you throw up. The road that leads to the CP, on the other hand, is cared for beautifully.Today they did not inspect containers and pickup trucks, perhaps because tomorrow, they will begin to inspect in the new compound up above, under the roofs with the pointed turbans.A few dozen workers and tradesmen (mostly young people) are going out to work. Only the routine is killing. 08:40  An unpleasant day in every sense of the word. We left.