Ras Abu Sbitan (Olive Terminal)
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Ras Abu Sabitan (Olive Terminal), A-Tur
Olive Terminal
We arrived at 6:50. There were lines in front of the first two stands, and a long line opposite the third -- the one intended for quick passage of pupils.
At the first stand the soldiers were deep in conversation with each other, one of them had his feet on the table. In the "acquarium" a soldier, wrapped in his prayer shawl, was busy praying. In the third stand progress was very slow. Now and then the soldiers turned back pupils for a second inspection of their belongings by the x-ray machine. Each time the turnstile performed one half or one quarter of a turn. The children were crowded and crossed by twos and threes. The little ones were in danger of getting squashed. In Israel, parents are instructed to accompany their children to the gates
of the schools; here we saw a concerned parent watching the passage of his children through the turnstile -- he may watch but not accompany.
A-tur
The border-police have returned to the streets of A-Tur. There were three groups of them in the main street. Opposite one of them stood/sat some youths. Both groups were marking their territory. Tension in the air. A small stone flew but did not trigger a response. An older man, apparently from the educational staff, was summoned by a passer-by, and scattered the boys before a further eruption could take place. Further on, at the street corner facing the boys' elementary school, we saw charred concrete blocks (attached photo), and we learned that the street had been blocked a day or two ago. Here the atmosphere was calm, without the presence of security forces.