'Azzun 'Atma, Burin (Yitzhar), Eliyahu Crossing, Habla, Huwwara, Jit Junction , Za'tara (Tapuah), Mon 9.7.12, Morning

Share:
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Email
Observers: 
Shoshana Z., Nina S. (reporting), Translator: Charles K.
Jul-9-2012
|
Morning
 

 

 

06:20  'Azzun 'Atma.  About 100 people are in line; many are already sitting outside.  Crossing goes quickly;  two booths for document inspection and another outside to inspect belongings.  We timed how long it took someone who arrived when we did to go through – 40 minutes.  That’s not fast, but in terms of this checkpoint it’s not bad.  When we left before 07:00 only 30 people were in line.  There may be less congestion because many now go through the Tamar gate that’s open for half an hour from 06:15 to 06:45.  About 20 people sit waiting at the entrance to the checkpoint; they’d been sent back into Palestine.  We were told they were in Israel illegally, having crossed through a hole in the fence without a permit or had been caught in Israel; we couldn’t find out more.

 

The young twelve-year-old coffee seller sells coffee in small cups (the size of little plastic wine cups) to people who’ve crossed.  His younger brother, who’s 8, helps.  They’re very cute; the “elder” speaks very good Hebrew – it’s really amazing.

 

06:35  The line is much shorter already; in the past it hadn’t gotten shorter until 07:00.  It doesn’t seem that fewer people are coming; maybe there’s less pressure because some cross through the Tamar gate?

 

Part of the line passes between two fences (before going through the revolving gate); it’s always congested there, while outside the fences the line is very narrow.  The fence is torn in many places and looks like it’s about to collapse>  It leans outward; we hope it doesn’t fall on a passerby.

 

07:10  Habla.  The gatesinfo-icon are open but only now does the first group enter for inspection.  In other words, the gate opened late – the soldiers arrived at 07:00, but the gate was to have opened at 07:00.

 

The first group comes through and a man chats with an MP – he says the soldier is good, he’s our friend.  Later we heard the opposite in the plant nursery; the worker there had many complaints about that soldier – as usual, it depends whom you ask, and there are always two sides.  About 40 people in line; more continue to arrive.  There’s a great deal of garbage around the shipping container on our side that provides shade – who’s responsible for cleaning up here?  Apparently no one.  It’s interesting that for years there wasn’t refuse here, and now the place has suddenly become a garbage can.  The shepherd arrives with his flock and runs them through to the Israeli side – very pastoral:  the flock, but not the crossing.

 

08:10 

Eliyahu crossing.  The gardeners work energetically, the location fills with annuals requiring a great deal of water, and they’ve already planted cedars – which, as you know, grow very slowly, but we’re here for good.  About 5 people on the pedestrian lane, and cars being inspected, as usual.

 

08:35  Jit/Sara junction.  No soldiers

 

Graffiti at the entrance to Yitzhar:  “Death to Arabs.”

 

08:40  Huwwara.  The crossing is open; no soldiers on the road except for the one always stationed at the road up to Har Beracha.

 

On the way back, there’s a military car at the junction where you drive up to Burin.  We drove in to see why; the soldiers were erecting a flying checkpoint on the way into Burin.

 

09:10  Za’tara/Tapuach junction.  Traffic going up is slow.  When we arrive a soldier emerges from his post on the road and walks to the junction/plaza.  Traffic at the junction seems to be slow because there’s heavy traffic coming from all directions.  It clears a few minutes later.  Soldiers always man the guard towers around the junction.

 

Before the plaza junction there’s an entrance to Ariel from Highway 5, a sign indicating the turn to Ariel and another sign reading “Turn here for Ariel University.”  And I thought that the Higher Education Budgeting Committee hadn’t yet granted them this title?  But the National Road Company already did so.

 

09:20  Entrance to Salfit.  The two gates are closed; one opens for a car coming from Salfit and when it closes the car is trapped between the two gates; the second opens and the car can drive on.  No inspection.  So why all the gates, opening, closing?  Now three cars arrived from the direction of the Ariel junction and both gates open simultaneously.  When they go through the gates close again and a car coming from Salfit has to go through the procedure of gates closing and opening.

 

At the entrance to Ariel they’re inspecting people entering the town – two employees of a security company and a soldier.  Is this why he was inducted into the army - to stand at the gate at the entrance to Ariel?Azzun Atma, Habla, Huwwara, Za’tara junction, Monday, 9.7.12, morning

Observers:  Shoshana Z., Nina S. (reporting)

Translator:  Charles K.

 

06:20  'Azzun 'Atma.  About 100 people are in line; many are already sitting outside.  Crossing goes quickly;  two booths for document inspection and another outside to inspect belongings.  We timed how long it took someone who arrived when we did to go through – 40 minutes.  That’s not fast, but in terms of this checkpoint it’s not bad.  When we left before 07:00 only 30 people were in line.  There may be less congestion because many now go through the Tamar gate that’s open for half an hour from 06:15 to 06:45.  About 20 people sit waiting at the entrance to the checkpoint; they’d been sent back into Palestine.  We were told they were in Israel illegally, having crossed through a hole in the fence without a permit or had been caught in Israel; we couldn’t find out more.

 

The young twelve-year-old coffee seller sells coffee in small cups (the size of little plastic wine cups) to people who’ve crossed.  His younger brother, who’s 8, helps.  They’re very cute; the “elder” speaks very good Hebrew – it’s really amazing.

 

06:35  The line is much shorter already; in the past it hadn’t gotten shorter until 07:00.  It doesn’t seem that fewer people are coming; maybe there’s less pressure because some cross through the Tamar gate?

 

Part of the line passes between two fences (before going through the revolving gate); it’s always congested there, while outside the fences the line is very narrow.  The fence is torn in many places and looks like it’s about to collapse>  It leans outward; we hope it doesn’t fall on a passerby.

 

07:10  Habla.  The gates are open but only now does the first group enter for inspection.  In other words, the gate opened late – the soldiers arrived at 07:00, but the gate was to have opened at 07:00.

 

The first group comes through and a man chats with an MP – he says the soldier is good, he’s our friend.  Later we heard the opposite in the plant nursery; the worker there had many complaints about that soldier – as usual, it depends whom you ask, and there are always two sides.  About 40 people in line; more continue to arrive.  There’s a great deal of garbage around the shipping container on our side that provides shade – who’s responsible for cleaning up here?  Apparently no one.  It’s interesting that for years there wasn’t refuse here, and now the place has suddenly become a garbage can.  The shepherd arrives with his flock and runs them through to the Israeli side – very pastoral:  the flock, but not the crossing.

 

08:10 

Eliyahu crossing.  The gardeners work energetically, the location fills with annuals requiring a great deal of water, and they’ve already planted cedars – which, as you know, grow very slowly, but we’re here for good.  About 5 people on the pedestrian lane, and cars being inspected, as usual.

 

08:35  Jit/Sara junction.  No soldiers

 

Graffiti at the entrance to Yitzhar:  “Death to Arabs.”

 

08:40  Huwwara.  The crossing is open; no soldiers on the road except for the one always stationed at the road up to Har Beracha.

 

On the way back, there’s a military car at the junction where you drive up to Burin.  We drove in to see why; the soldiers were erecting a flying checkpoint on the way into Burin.

 

09:10  Za’tara/Tapuach junction.  Traffic going up is slow.  When we arrive a soldier emerges from his post on the road and walks to the junction/plaza.  Traffic at the junction seems to be slow because there’s heavy traffic coming from all directions.  It clears a few minutes later.  Soldiers always man the guard towers around the junction.

 

Before the plaza junction there’s an entrance to Ariel from Highway 5, a sign indicating the turn to Ariel and another sign reading “Turn here for Ariel University.”  And I thought that the Higher Education Budgeting Committee hadn’t yet granted them this title?  But the National Road Company already did so.

 

09:20  Entrance to Salfit.  The two gates are closed; one opens for a car coming from Salfit and when it closes the car is trapped between the two gates; the second opens and the car can drive on.  No inspection.  So why all the gates, opening, closing?  Now three cars arrived from the direction of the Ariel junction and both gates open simultaneously.  When they go through the gates close again and a car coming from Salfit has to go through the procedure of gates closing and opening.

 

At the entrance to Ariel they’re inspecting people entering the town – two employees of a security company and a soldier.  Is this why he was inducted into the army - to stand at the gate at the entrance to Ariel?Azzun Atma, Habla, Huwwara, Za’tara junction, Monday, 9.7.12, morning

Observers:  Shoshana Z., Nina S. (reporting)

Translator:  Charles K.

 

06:20  'Azzun 'Atma.  About 100 people are in line; many are already sitting outside.  Crossing goes quickly;  two booths for document inspection and another outside to inspect belongings.  We timed how long it took someone who arrived when we did to go through – 40 minutes.  That’s not fast, but in terms of this checkpoint it’s not bad.  When we left before 07:00 only 30 people were in line.  There may be less congestion because many now go through the Tamar gate that’s open for half an hour from 06:15 to 06:45.  About 20 people sit waiting at the entrance to the checkpoint; they’d been sent back into Palestine.  We were told they were in Israel illegally, having crossed through a hole in the fence without a permit or had been caught in Israel; we couldn’t find out more.

 

The young twelve-year-old coffee seller sells coffee in small cups (the size of little plastic wine cups) to people who’ve crossed.  His younger brother, who’s 8, helps.  They’re very cute; the “elder” speaks very good Hebrew – it’s really amazing.

 

06:35  The line is much shorter already; in the past it hadn’t gotten shorter until 07:00.  It doesn’t seem that fewer people are coming; maybe there’s less pressure because some cross through the Tamar gate?

 

Part of the line passes between two fences (before going through the revolving gate); it’s always congested there, while outside the fences the line is very narrow.  The fence is torn in many places and looks like it’s about to collapse>  It leans outward; we hope it doesn’t fall on a passerby.

 

07:10  Habla.  The gates are open but only now does the first group enter for inspection.  In other words, the gate opened late – the soldiers arrived at 07:00, but the gate was to have opened at 07:00.

 

The first group comes through and a man chats with an MP – he says the soldier is good, he’s our friend.  Later we heard the opposite in the plant nursery; the worker there had many complaints about that soldier – as usual, it depends whom you ask, and there are always two sides.  About 40 people in line; more continue to arrive.  There’s a great deal of garbage around the shipping container on our side that provides shade – who’s responsible for cleaning up here?  Apparently no one.  It’s interesting that for years there wasn’t refuse here, and now the place has suddenly become a garbage can.  The shepherd arrives with his flock and runs them through to the Israeli side – very pastoral:  the flock, but not the crossing.

 

08:10 

Eliyahu crossing.  The gardeners work energetically, the location fills with seedlings requiring a great deal of water, and they’ve already planted cedars – which, as you know, grow very slowly, but we’re here for good.  About 5 people on the pedestrian lane, and cars being inspected, as usual.

 

08:35  Jit/Sara junction.  No soldiers

 

Graffiti at the entrance to Yitzhar:  “Death to Arabs.”

 

08:40  Huwwara.  The crossing is open; no soldiers on the road except for the one always stationed at the road up to Har Beracha.

 

On the way back, there’s a military car at the junction where you drive up to Burin.  We drove in to see why; the soldiers were erecting a flying checkpoint on the way into Burin.

 

09:10  Za’tara/Tapuach junction.  Traffic going up is slow.  When we arrive a soldier emerges from his post on the road and walks to the junction/plaza.  Traffic at the junction seems to be slow because there’s heavy traffic coming from all directions.  It clears a few minutes later.  Soldiers always man the guard towers around the junction.

 

Before the plaza junction there’s an entrance to Ariel from Highway 5, a sign indicating the turn to Ariel and another sign reading “Turn here for Ariel University.”  And I thought that the Higher Education Budgeting Committee hadn’t yet granted them this title?  But the National Road Company already did so.

 

09:20  Entrance to Salfit.  The two gates are closed; one opens for a car coming from Salfit and when it closes the car is trapped between the two gates; the second opens and the car can drive on.  No inspection.  So why all the gates, opening, closing?  Now three cars arrived from the direction of the Ariel junction and both gates open simultaneously.  When they go through the gates close again and a car coming from Salfit has to go through the procedure of gates closing and opening.

 

At the entrance to Ariel they’re inspecting people entering the town – two employees of a security company and a soldier.  Is this why he was inducted into the army - to stand at the gate at the entrance to Arie l?