'Izbet alTabib, Habla, Kufr Thulth

10:15, Eliyahu CP

4 cars undergoing checks, the light trafiic is moving.

Izbet Tabib

A new road and curb under construction.  The school, under threat of demolition, is still functioning.

Thulat

There are 20 landowners who have not ploughed yet.  They recounted their (so far failed) attemtps to have the seasonal gate 1262 open for a week now, to allow them to plough their fields while the land is still moist.
Next to the gate in the west village fence, our friend M. points out how the barrier, rather than follow the wadi around the village's lands, goes up through the olive groves, destroying the trees in its way.  A law suit against the barrier placement has been pending for 13 years, but meanwhile 1200 of their acres are on the other side of the barrier.
From another vantage point we can see the illegal settlement El Matan. The road, says M., is closed to Palestinians.  He says it is about to be widened, at the cost of more land theft.

Habla

We couldn't obtain formal opening hours for the gates.  Based on the Palestinians' report, the opening hours are:
Morning 06:30-07:30
Noon  13:15-14:00
Evening 16:30-17:10

13:10.  The soldiers are here, and 12 people, a truck, and 2 wagons are waiting.
13:15  The gate opens on time.  2 women pass first, then the first quintet. The truck driver with his load of empty flower pots is denied passage.
13:30  The first quintet from the other side passes, followed by 2 pickups, 2 trucks loaded with seedlings, and 3 private vehicles.
H. passes with a wagonload of feed for his sheep, which he is not allowed to take across the gate.
A minibus full of kids passes, followed by another pickup and 2 trucks.
13:45  No queue.  We leave.