Hamra, Ma'ale Efrayim, Tayasir, Thu 8.7.10, Afternoon
12:00 - Ma'aleh Ephraim
There are no soldiers at the checkpoint, but a soldier is observing from the watchtower. We drove to Al Fursiya, which is still abandoned. The fields have been harvested and the place is still waiting for the residents' return, but they are still not living there.
13:40 - Tayasir "One by one, please."
A reservist comes up to the car and checks our documents. After a phone call to the command office their attitude towards us changes. They are deliberately polite and try to show how pleasant they are towards the Palestinians by saying: "One at a time, please." After a while they no longer say "please" and the politeness wears off. At 14:00 the shift changes The checkpoint stopped functioning for 7 minutes. The new soldiers to not speak Arabic and are surprised that the Palestinians do not follow orders immediately since they don't understand what they want. People arriving in cars wait to be called one by one even if there are only two people and cross the checkpoint on foot. As usual passengers are checked who are going to the West Bank but not to the center of the West Bank.
On the side of the hill where the pedestrian checkpoint is located there is usually a sign showing what unit is manning the checkpoint. This time there is a sign in Russian reading "Go F*** yourself."
We left at 14:35.
15:00 - Guchia Gate - There are no soldiers or Palestinians.
18:00 - Hamra Checkpoint
There is no waiting line. People cross the checkpoint on foot and there are no delays.
19:00 - Ma'aleh Ephraim - Two soldiers are at the checkpoint and there are no Palestinians present.