'Anabta, 'Azzun 'Atma, Qalqiliya, Mon 21.7.08, Morning
6:40 Qalqiliya
No lines.
Azzun no checkpoint,. Qalqiliya No lines.
7:10 Azzun Atma
About 20 workers waiting outside the turnstile and a few cars waiting to enter the village. We stood outside the checkpoint when one of the soldiers called us. We went to him and he introduced himself as B the notorious. It seems that it makes him happy to be mentioned in our reports.
He asked us to stand outside the checkpoint or he would close it and so he did. It is to be noted that he is not the commander of the checkpoint though he acts as if he is. We went beyond the yellow gate but not behind the cement blocks which are two metres back and he still refused to stop the "stoppage of life." The DCO asked us to move back so that he would go on checking. We phoned the center and D. and again the centre. 10 minutes later we moved completely away from the checkpoint but still he did not open it. Only half an hour later did he do so.
We went to the other side of the checkpoint beyond the cement blocks where the detainees
were (but not beyond the blocks which sign to the drivers where to wit. These are really far away and one can not see anything and definitely not hear anything. And again there was a stoppage of life (this time brought about directly by the commander who tried to persuade us to move away and even allowed me to speak to the company commander, Sh. who did not try to understand but told us not to bother the soldiers (as if we could when we were beyond the gate!).
So we moved off until the checkpoint would calm down.
8:15 The checkpoint was empty and we went past the gate and wonder of wonders there was no more stoppage of life but also few cars. Also when it is quite and maybe especially then people are asked to go to the area of the x-ray device and this included a woman with two children and also an older woman with a basket on her head. We waited an hour for the regimental commander as D. and T. had recommended but he did not come and we left. We understood of course that we would be accused of vulgar behaviour and bothering the soldiers.
10:45 Anabta
No lines and no checking just the usual wave through.