Jubara, Irtah, Anabta

Jubara, Irtah, Anabta, Wed. 23.2.05, am.Observers: Nati A., Rina Z., Michalina D. (reporting)Irtah, 06.55-07.15All the men had passed through by 7 am. The women complained that in order to get through at 7 they had had to stand in line since 4 am. The DCO of the checkpoint explained that the gate had been opened at 05.40, but with a small number of checking posts, because there were not enough soldiers. They arrive at the checkpoint in several ‘batches’, because there are not enough vehicles to transport them. The number of workers passing through this checkpoint necessitates the opening of several checking posts at the same time, but ten were opened only towards the end. Until then, the pressure was tremendous, and the soldiers halted the process three times because they felt that they were losing control.When we arrived there were a number of buses waiting in the parking-place for the prisoners’ families.Anabta, 10.00-10.10The gate was closed. We asked the taxi-drivers about the situation further down the road, in the direction of Tulkarm. According to them, in the past few days there have been no surprise checkpoints or barriers. But they told us again about soldiers who come to the gate and demand that they should park at a distance of 50 metres on each side, which means that the people going through have to walk 100 metres to get to means of transport on the other side. Sometimes when the drivers get too close the soldiers confiscate their documents and their car keys.Jubara, 07.20-07.40; 10.20-11.10There were three checking posts at the checkpoint: on the west, at the exit in the direction of the ‘green line’; at the north, in the direction of Tulkarm; and at the east, in the direction of the village of Jubara. The western post was manned mainly by MPs, supported by conscript soldiers from Nachshon, the northern post only by conscripts, and the eastern post by conscripts, supported by one MP and the representative of the DCO. The soldiers told us that the northern post was intended to prevent Israelis without a permit from reaching Tulkarm and its environs. When we arrived the first time, there was a vehicle at the entrance to Jubara which could check freight quickly and x-ray it on the spot, from a mobile checking post. There were no detainees, nobody waiting at the crossing, and those who arrived at the checking posts were let through quickly.When we came back, the passage at the northern post was slow, and sometimes a line formed, because the identities of all the vehicles which passed through in both directions were being checked in order to identify Israeli citizens. On the other hand, no vehicle was held up apart from the check of the travellers’ IDs.At the entrance to Jubara there were two detainees whose documents were being checked. According to them, they had been waiting for half an hour. About half an hour later they were released.The rules for passing through to Jubara have not changed, but the soldiers were new to this checkpoint and were not always sure of what to do. In case of doubt they asked the representative of the DCO. As we have noted several times at this checkpoint, it is the representative of the DCO who creates difficulties for the people. He absolutely refused to discuss anything, even when this could have helped, or at least clarified the matter. For instance, there was an old man with a bag containing some articles of women’s clothing. He said that his daughter, who was married to a man from Jubara, was ill, and he wanted to bring her some gifts. Since his daughter had no telephone in her house, he could not get in touch to ask somebody to come to the checkpoint; but he showed his ID, in which his 22-year old daughter was still registered. He asked them to check that she was living in Jubara. We asked the representative of the DCO to check the matter with his headquarters, since the DCO has a list of all the inhabitants of Jubara. He refused, and told the old man to leave the checkpoint at once. The person who displayed judgment and consideration, in this affair as in others, was the Military Policeman, Itai. He obeys orders meticulously, but he is really considerate, and tries to find ways of helping, despite the limitations he has to observe. The representative of the DCO made sarcastic remarks about his decisions, not directly to him, but behind his back, to the other soldiers.