'Anabta, Ar-Ras, Jubara (Kafriat), Mon 28.4.08, Afternoon

 

13:50 Jubara, Ar-ras
At Jubara, in front of the
locked gate, the soldiers are trying to delay us with the excuse that
they cannot find the key. They say we would have to wait a long time
until they have the time to search for it. A few words were exchanged
and the time, the key, and the soldier who opens the gate where are all
found.  On the way back we hoot and signal to the soldier at the
checkpoint, and he immediately comes forward to open the gate for us.

 

14:00 The Children's Gate (753)

Lively traffic. Two cars are waiting to be inspected at the
entrance to Jubara. A pickup truck is leaving the village and a few
illegals are waiting by the roadside. Three have been waiting for two
and a half hours. One of the detainees suffers great pains. The
soldiers intend to get a paramedic. A second lieutenant who was there
during the change of shifts , responds to our request and instructs the
checkpoint commander to release the guy. We drove him to Ar-ras
checkpoint and there he got on a cab to Tulkarm, on his way to see a
doctor.

 

14:15 Ar-ras checkpoint.

Two soldiers are inspecting the few cars that arrive from Tulkarm.
The soldier at the watch tower is interested in what we are doing and
asks us questions. The checkpoint  commander approaches the tower and
instructs the soldier to stop talking to us.

 

14:45 Anabta

Thin traffic in both directions. On the road due north, at a
distance of about 20 meters from the checkpoint there is a large STOP
sign, in large red English letters. Cars arriving there are meant to
stand by the sign and await a signal from the soldier. Two soldiers are
standing at the southern checkpoint and let the cars through towards
Tulkarm, and two soldiers are standing at the northern checkpoint and
let the cars at the exit through. A Border Guard  jeep is standing east
of the road north of the watch tower. A Border Guard  stops cars that
have just gone through the checkpoint. Three cars are standing by the
roadside, and now he stops a cab, collects the passengers' papers ,
takes them to the jeep for inspection. Meanwhile he receives from them
papers that have already been checked earlier, and releases one of the
cars. Each time he lets through one car he stops another. Each car is
delayed for about 10 mins or more. We were told that the
Border Guard are inspecting the vehicles and that takes time. A cab has
been waiting for over 20 mins. There is no connexion between the
inspections by the soldiers at the checkpoint and the inspections by
the border guards. The soldiers stopped a cab on its way to Tulkarm,
collected the papers of all the passengers, and checked the at the
watch tower. 2 mins later the documents are returned and the cab was let
through.