Hamra (Beqaot), Ma'ale Efrayim, Za'tara (Tapuah)

10:00 – Zatara Checkpoint (Tapuah Junction)

The checkpoint was not manned but a group of Border Police were snacking under the observation tower. The parking lot next to the checkpoint has been fenced in for a long time now, and locked with a gate. We stop next to the gate and immediately a delegation of Border Police marched over to us.  Their commander stated explicitly to us, “I am here to protect all citizens, Jews, Palestinians. I will also protect you.” Luckily for us, four army jeeps and a patrol car arrived and our car was blocking the entrance; they ask us to leave.  Until we did, I recorded a telephone conversation of one of the police who reported that they stopped a female Palestinian and she was held in an enclosed area.  An attacked policeman - she pushed one of them. . .

Ma’ale Efraim

Not manned.  Same on the way home in the afternoon (15:00).

Hamra Checkpoint – Beqaot Checkpoint

At this hour there were no Palestinians.  We did not stop.

Halat Makhul

No change.  One of our friends says, “when the army is busy in Jerusalem, we have a little quiet.”

One of the Ecumenical volunteers with whom we spoke by telephone told us that there was an army training exercise in Ras-El-Akmar, on 13.10.15, and for three days they evacuated the residents from their homes again and again, many hours every day.

Fasail

As yet, no restoration has begun.  We visited a family whose house has been destroyed and they live, with eight children, in the brother’s house, because the brother has temporarily moved to Noima.The woman asked how many children I have and when I answered “three” she said sadly, “I envy you. I only wanted four, so that I could give them a better life.”  As stated, she has eight children and she now takes “medicine to prevent pregnancy.”