'Anabta, Ar-Ras, Qalqiliya, Thu 22.1.09, Afternoon
Qalqiliya
14:00 – There are 5 cars at the entrance
and a long line at the exit. They let the cars enter slowly and without
inspection. However, there is no going out. Then the entry is also stopped,
presumably because of shift replacement. It immediately creates a long
line of some 20 cars.
14:10 – The entry of cars slowly resumes
and a few minutes later they also let cars slowly go out.
14:25 – The lines start to dissolve
and we leave.
Anabta
16:10 – When we get to the checkpoint,
the traffic flows in both directions, but a few minutes later the traffic
of cars on the way out is abruptly stopped. All the soldiers talk on
their cell-phones looking agitated. When we try to find out why the
traffic has stopped, they say that a soldier, a friend of theirs, has
been seriously wounded at a post. They don't know more than that, neither
do they know which post it is. A few minutes later they go back to work
and let the cars move.
Ar-Ras, Farm 8, Gate 753
16:45 – A soldier tells us he knows
there is a permission [for us to pass], but nevertheless, he has to
check. No permission.
E. calls the Tulkarm DCO [District Coordination
Office of the IDF Civil Administration that handles passage permits],
where they tell her they will send a message saying there is permission.
We wait. Another call to the DCO and this time they say there is no
permission and connect us to the brigade. At the brigade they claim
there is no permission although E. explains that there is an unlimited
permission. They say they will check and get back to us. We wait.
From Farm 8 we can see that the traffic
at Ar-Ras is streaming. Hardly any car arrives.
17:10 – We decide to go back.
We are still waiting for the answer of
the brigade.