Falamiya North Checkpoint (914), Falamiya South Checkpoint (935)

Falamya

 One of the occupation’s injustices is requiring people to go through checkpoints during certain hours in order to access their lands to earn a living.  As such, it’s worth at least listening to the farmers.  We also believed that extending the hours they were able to spend on their land would ease their situation.  It turns out that’s not true.  Everyone we spoke to wants to return home at least an hour earlier.  We were told a meeting had been arranged with the DCL.  We’ll follow up.

Jayyus west checkpoint (Falamya south) 935

We arrived at the area of the checkpoint approximately 15 minutes before it closed at 17:05, because we hadn’t taken into account the heavy traffic when you leave an hour later.

On the unpaved security road next to the fence we saw three women and three children walking from the checkpoint to the village.  We also encountered a few tractors, one loaded with shiny lemons.  A few more tractors arrived at the checkpoint when we reached it.  One of the riders asked us, What happened?  Why have you come only now?

Another tractor with five people arrives at the gate and a soldier greets it with “Salaam aleikum.”  One of the men who’d already crossed notes the soldier’s humane behavior and praises him.  Even under current conditions humane, respectful behavior is appreciated.

Falamya north 914

17:15  Pedestrians and three tractors go through.  Everyone complains:  why did they change the hours the checkpoint is open?  They want to make them earlier – 16:00 or 16:30.  People already come to the checkpoint before 16:00 and must wait more than an hour.  We told them to speak to the mukhtar.  They already did, and a meeting was arranged with the DCL.  We’ll follow up.