Falamiya
Mush Choyas, Mush Choyas(not good), says the Palestinian farmer, describing for us their hardship in reaching their plots, which obliges them to run between the gates, to and from them…
According to the Palestinians, the Falamia South CP is due to be closed and everybody will have to pass during the allotted time at the Falamia North CP (the soldiers don't know what exactly is about to happen)…..
12:40 We arrive at the CP five minutes before the designated opening time, while at its other side Palestinians who have returned from their fields are already waiting, some with tractors laden with zaatar sacks. In the meantime, at our side, a Palestinian explains to us the difficulties of their life (we manage to understand some bits of what he says). Mush choyas – an expression which is repeated many times.
The soldiers arrived and at 12:55 (a delay of 10 minutes) the gate was opened. First the people returning from their fields are checked and then those who want to enter, amongst which is a teacher from Jiyus who arrives after school hours. He is the only one who is able to reach the fields because his brother (who is also an owner) is barred by the General Security Service from entering (we gave him Silvia's details).
Rumors have it that it has been decided to close this gate and to open only the southern one (935) – which very much bothers the Palestinians whose plots are nearer to the northern CP. The Change would necessitate a much longer drive (or walk). The possibility that the CP would be opened in the morning and in the evening only bothers the teacher especially, understandably. One of the persons entering, who arrived with a pick-up truck, was rejected by the soldiers: according to his permit he must pass through the southern CP… The checking is manual and the policewoman types the ID numbers on the cellular telephone, which today serves instead of the computer.
We leave before closing time in order to reach the southern CP with the soldiers.
13:15-13:35 – Falamia South (935)
The gate has been opened at 13:20. Here too the Palestinians know about the changes in the two CPs, beginning, according to them, next Sunday. Nowhere does anybody bother to post a notice for the public. According to them the CP will be opened twice a day for two hours (in the morning from 06.00 to 08.00). This is the more far-off and less busy CP, so the farmers will be transferred specifically to it…
We ask the soldiers about the rumor, but they are sure of nothing…