Hamra (Beqaot), Ma'ale Efrayim, Tayasir, Za'tara (Tapuah)

The Jordan Valley

 - Ten families in Karbala, which is in the northern Jordan Valley, received demolition orders for their encampment today.  Because we received the information at the end of the shift, we were unable to visit there and receive more details.  We will do that the next time.

 - The official entrances to Aqraba village and to Jawarish have been blocked by mounds of stones for three months already, as best my memory serves me, as collective punishment because of an act that some resident did, that was, in the end, not terrible.

Za’tara Checkpoint/ Tapuah Junction, 10:00

Paving work at the junction.  There is no unusual army activity.  The hitch-hike station in the southern direction is guarded as usual, by soldiers.

Migdalim Settlement

We see groups of caravans in the western part of the ridge that we haven’t seen before.  Obviously, new building.

Hamra Checkpoint – 10:30

There are no soldiers and the traffic is flowing in two directions.  Also when we returned.  There are soldiers in the guard tower.

Tayasir Checkpoint

We didn’t visit but people who live in the area told us that in general, the checkpoint is open and is not manned by the army.  Once or twice a week, usually in the morning, soldiers appear and inspect.

A Visit in Halat Makhul
We were told that beginning with the present school year, they are succeeding in sending children from age 4 onward, to nursery school in the city of Tamun. This is thanks to the transportation service that is funded by Salam Fiad, who was the Finance Minister in the Palestinian Authority, and is now a private citizen (and wealthy). He also subsidized solar panels for the residents of the Valley in order to create solar energy. And why was there a need to supply them with special transport?  The shortest route to Tamun is less than 10 kilometers but that road is generally permanently blocked with an iron gate (Gochya).  The transportation makes a large detour, about 30 kilometers in one direction, through Tayasir and Tubas.We visited also Samara and Maleh.