'Anabta, Ar-Ras, Jubara (Kafriat), יום ג' 20.5.08, אחה"צ

Jubara

15:15 – At the schoolchildren's Gate we have seen for the first time the big announcement about an international group of businessmen who will be equipped with a purple document and whose passage ought to be quick. They haven't encountered these visitors at this checkpoint yet. No problems, no detainees and scarcely any traffic at all.

Ar-Ras

15:25 – Two taxis are waiting at the exit southward. The check is random. The road in the southern part of the junction is still destroyed, which makes the passage difficult for those who come from the south. We have had an interesting talk with the checkpoint commander ensuing the astonishment we expressed at seeing the disposable plates on which they are served the food, scattered on the shielding walls built around the checkpoint. The plates and the stones that are on them are charred. The commander doesn't understand our astonishment and seems to think that we are accusing the soldiers of throwing burning plates at Palestinian cars. This hasn't even crossed our mind and we explain that we have simply never seen it before in all our visits in the place. According to them, the purpose of these plates is to keep them warm in the cold nights as the checkpoint is operated day and night.

The commander who wears a skullcap elaborates on the topic in order to present our hostile attitude toward the soldiers. After we explain our views, he concedes that among the soldiers there are also those who object to checkpoints. Unfortunately, it has been a day after shooting the boy at Huwwara checkpoint, which has given him something to lean on.

Anabta

16:00 – Very long lines of 30 vehicles in each direction.

A taxi driver who reports about waiting time of one and a half hours comes up with an explanation: a Palestinian vehicle overturned at the junction of roads 57 and 537. Some people were injured and taken to a hospital. Then the army came and blew up the overturned car with everything it contained. The road was closed, which accounts for the long lines that were there when it opened.

The soldier's report about the accident is a bit different. According to them, the army blew up only a bag, not a car. As we go on driving we see no sign of a car or an explosion of any kind.

The passage of cars is slow although the checks are brief – only documents, but the soldiers seem to be exhausted (it has been a hot day).