'Anabta, 'Azzun, Qalqiliya, Mon 27.10.08, Morning

Eliyahu Gate

07:10 – We see few workers who have already passed. There is no line at all and a lot of army vehicles are in the area. The reason is unclear.

Qalqiliya

07:20 – It's quiet and there are no lines. Leaving vehicles are checked randomly. At the entrance, only entry permits of Israeli vehicles are checked.

07:50 – Azzun is still blocked. A taxi has stopped near the earth piles and waited. A woman climbs the earth piles and gets into the taxi.

08:00 – Close to the eastern exit from Karne Shomron, at the foot of Moshe Zar's house, we see Palestinians getting ready for the olive harvest and we stop near them. They tell us about their sufferings inflicted by Moshe Zar who threatens them if they come close to the area which is, he claims, his property. They are waiting for the DCO representative [District Coordination Office of the IDF Civil Administration that handles passage permits] before they dare walk to their land to harvest the olives. We wait with them. Some of them are waiting next to the Workers' Gate of Karne Shomron through which they entered in order to pick olives in the lands, probably theirs, inside the fence of Karne Shomron. We drive there to take them. They tell us that this is how it has been for the last 30 years and that he has been always causing them trouble.

08:15 – The lord himself, Moshe Zar, has arrived. He also waits for the officer and watches the Palestinians and us.

08:25 – The DCO representative and the man in charge of the security of the settlement have arrived and approached us. Moshe Zar starts by swearing at us, saying things like "You sleep with them?" After a few embarrassing moments for us and the Palestinians, some of whom are women and elderly people, the security people start mediating between the Palestinians and Moshe Z., flattering and trying to pacify him. But the man is adamant, insisting that they not dare walk in his land and pick even one olive…

The security people make sure the Palestinians know exactly where they are allowed to pick olives and where they aren't.

Eventually, the Palestinians start walking alone towards the hill. We can see from a distance a vehicle moving along the fence inside Karne Shomron, keeping an eye on them or, as the security man of the settlement puts it he doesn't guard the Palestinians, but rather guards the place from them.

Anabta

10:30 – No lines and scarcely any checks. A few minutes after we arrive, some exercise starts, or maybe it is a briefing to the soldiers who have been visiting the checkpoint. The result is a total stoppage of all activities at the checkpoint for 10 minutes and a line of 15 vehicles. The line dissipates as soon as the exercise ends.