South Hebron

South Hebron. Monday 5.9.05, AMObservers: Yael Z and Yeela L.Left shoqet jct 6:45. returned 9:00am.summary: more Palestinian cars and less military cars on the road than lately. children are back to school. No temporary checkpoints.Sansana checkpoint: no Palestinians when we entered, but some when we left. since there is still a full blockade on the West Bank, it might have been the people that are building the fence. The separation fence is becoming more and more a reality in this area.In all the following internal checkpoints there were no active soldiers checking the passing people and vehicles:Daharia gate is open. Dura- El-Fawar - open for cars and there is a reasonable amount of traffic. Metal thorns (machsom dokranim) on the road without soldiers. the pillbox is manned.Sheep Juctiont: as usual closed to cars, and open to pedestrians.Girl's school crossing - many girls, as they are back to school. All dressed in well-kept and clean school uniforms. Less girls and teachers than before are willing to look at us and greet us. The ongoing occupation makes us all unwanted and resented. (I am trying to be mild here) The girls walk in almost complete silence - no chatting or giggling as they walk to school. Still closed to vehicles.East Halhul checkpoint - open, reasonable amount of traffic. Pillbox is manned.Humanitarian checkpoint: closed. the Pilbox is manned.Halhul-Hebron bridge - open to vehicles.Idna checkpoint - open to vehicles. we asked Palestinians why there were more Palestinian vehilces on the road. According to the Palestinians we spoke with most likely most of the vehicles do not have permission to drive on the apartheid roads. It seems that the process is that some drivers take the risk of being caught by the militray or israeli blue police. These in turn have times in which they are more intent on keeping the Palestinians off these roads and times in which they are more relaxed about it. When there are some Palestinian cars that seem to go freely, then more and more try, until the next time when the soldiers change the policy as to enforcing Palestininans off the road.