'Anabta, 'Azzun 'Atma, Eliyahu Crossing, Habla, Shave Shomron, Mon 16.9.13, Morning
Two new children from 'Azzun 'Atma are selling coffee, also at 08:00, when we leave, which means they did not go back to school.
06:50 'Azzun 'Atma
The line is already short, many are still waiting outside for their employers. Eight Palestinians are sitting opposite the checkpoint. They were all caught sneaking through gaps in the fence which were not created by them, but by the IDF, perhaps as part of preparations for a path to the "new fence" or for "raising the checkpoint (Tamar)", also apparently for the new fence. Two of them have permits and they claim that they went through the checkpoint but were caught when going in the direction of bus station at Oranit to catch a bus to work. Now their IDs were also taken, since the soldiers decided that they did not go through the checkpoint.
After a while, another man joins, with an unclear story, but clearly without papers. He said that his ID was torn up by an officer in the Palestinian police and he is not willing to pay 600 NIS again for a new document. But he left his permit at home - why? no reason. He has a bus pass and he was on his way to the station at Oranit to go to Petah Tikva to buy a car when they detained him. His picture is on his bus pass, which he thinks is a sufficient identification.
After half an hour, the soldiers who confiscated the documents of all the detainees
(who were sent on foot to the checkpoint) arrive at the checkpoint with the IDs in a bag, together with telephones and cigarettes which had also been confiscated. Our friend without any documents was freed and sent home - together with the "Israeli" from 'Azzun 'Atma. Those who had work permits for Israel were released to Palestine - according to the soldiers, "at their request" (?) and the others remained for 3 hours. "It isn't a punishment. It's only to remind them not to go through holes in the fence."
A bit after 7:00, a group of girls (7) went through into Azun Atmeh, wearing school uniforms and braids, a pleasure to see. We didn't see any other children on the way to school, I don't know why.
08:05 Habla - the gates were closed and the woman soldier locked the outer gate before she got into a car with other soldiers who waited for her to return to their base. There was a man in the "container" - he said that he arrived at 08:01 and they didn't allow him to go through, even though the gates were not yet locked; now he has to wait until the afternoon.
08:15 Eliyahu gate - a few cars are awaiting inspection and one man is waiting in the pedestrian line.
09:00 Shavei Shomron – there are no soldiers. Two yellow gates were open and a lot of cement blocks ready for use, for closing the road whenever whoever decides to close the road will use them.
We traveled on and entered briefly the 'Anabta checkpoint; there are no soldiers and traffic is moving freely.
Shufa- the road to lower Shufa was open, but one has to make a slalom run between the cement blocks which are also waiting to be used for a closure, whenever someone wants. There was a military jeep near the entrance. The soldiers standing outside all had large knitted khaki colored skullcaps. I wonder if the IDF is already supplying these or if their girlfriends knitted them.