Living within the 'Azzun 'Atma enclave

The village of 'Azzun 'Atma southeast of Qalqiliya is completely walled in by the Barrier and settlements and a new secondary Barrier has recently been completed giving more difficulties for farmers. Since we were not permitted through the 'Azzun 'Atma checkpoint, we arranged for a villager, Hani, to come and collect us. At the end of a long circuitous journey, we arrived at the end of a closed road west of Mas-ha, having travelled through Sanninya and Biddya and Mas-ha.

With a fence and settlement houses behind us, military gates on a barrier road to either side, we were now facing a concrete wall which was an unbelievable 10 metres high and 50 metres long which seems to have been put there just to hide Hani's view. He has his own key to enter a special pedestrian gate to get to his house. Apparently the gate was a 'concession,' after a campaign led by the village and B'Tselem.

Hani's land was part of Kafar Qasem. The now dead end road from Mas-ha to his home used to be a thriving road with shops on both sides. Hani could walk to his land in 10-15 minutes. Now he has to drive the road he brought us, enter through 'Azzun 'Atma checkpoint with an 'Azzun 'Atma identity card and drive further to his land. He has already lost part of his land which he works with his brother. In March, a new barrier was constructed within this enclosed area that he has to get through and which has made it difficult for him to get out his products. He also controls the generator that pumps water for his and other people's land and he can't get access often enough to do this. The gates through the new barrier are open for only 30 minutes three times per day, despite the court apparently saying gates should be open all day. Hani is not welcome to the settler neighbours and he says stones have been thrown. We were told Hani had planted trees on the land at his house and the soldiers had poisoned them.

UNOCHA's March 2009 Humanitarian Monitor:

"... the Israeli army has recently installed an inner fence, or secondary Barrier, with two gates along it, around 'Azzun 'Atma village. Since the construction of the main Barrier in 2003, the 2,000 residents of this village are required to cross a Barrier gate and undergo checking procedures to access essential services in the rest of the West Bank; non-residents must obtain a 'visitor permit' to enter the village. Moreover, given that the gate is closed from 2200 to 0600 hours, it has created a particular problem in the case of medical emergencies and for expectant mothers in labour, who must coordinate the opening of the gate with the Israeli army. The new inner fence has cut off nine houses with 75 residents, as well as some agricultural land, from the rest of the village, creating an additional enclave within the 'Azzun 'Atma enclave. These residents have been recently informed by the IDF that they will be required to apply for 'permanent resident' permits to continue to reside in their homes." (p.6)