3.02pm 18/5

the 2 PALFEST organizers with Arab names are being held back at border. Predictably.

5.50pm 18/5

Held for four hours until border closed but forward party now through

8.03pm 22/5

Tomorrow night: Callil, Mankell, Messud and Soueif kick off PALFEST 2009. And that's only half of it!

2.07pm 23/5

Five of the author group being held at border

2.57pm

Hammad, ghappour, yassin-kassab, vassanji and vassanji are the names. They've been there nearly 4 hours now.

4.24pm

Everyone's through. Five hours of obstruction in total - now we get on with the festival.

6.33pm

Opening night shut down by army. Mass move to the French institute happening now

7.46pm

In new venue at french institute.

8.33am 24/5

Video of yesterday's events now online: http://www.palfest.org/video.html

11.33pm 24/5

Sorry - seems there's no 3G in Ramallah to tweet. 2nd day comes off without a hitch. Just back from Sakakini. Full reports to follow...

12.46am 25/5

Photos from our opening night are now up on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos.html

10.38am

Group splitting today between birzeit uni and AAUJ and Freedom Theatre in Jenin

10.44am

Just through Atara checkpoint, which divides ramallah from surrounding villages

11.41am

Stopped at chevez shamron - our fourth checkpoint on the road to Jenin

11.51am

Back on the road

5.52pm

Got to the Freedom Theatre, Jenin and had probably the most rewarding event so far:

6.44pm

Stopped at same checkpoint on way home. Bus boarded by armed soldier this time

1.25am

Photos from 2nd night in Ramallah now up:

9.48am 26/5

Heading in to qalandia checkpoint now

10.12am

30 minutes have passed and we've moved about four metres

10.22am

Everyone has to get off and have our bags searched

10.43 am

Search in Progress

11.10am

Everyone through. Fuller Qalandia series here

11.26am

Now going through Bethlehem checkpoint

11.34am

Through. Checkpoint totally empty

4.14pm

In Aida Refugee Camp

4.30pm

The Wall around Aida

4.33pm

And the new outdoor Return Theatre built next to it

10.08pm

Suheir Hammad and Henning Mankell's blogs are now online. Michael Palin is up next...

12.47pm 26/5

At Hebron University

2.22pm

Workshop: "the role of fiction in creating new political realities" at Hebron university

3.59pm

In al Khalil/Hebron.Not allowed in ibrahimi mosque with camera. Has 4 metal detectors & 3 Israeli soldiers guarding

4.01pm

The full security structure. I got in trouble for taking this one

6.48pm

Hebron: a closed road for settlers only in the heart of the city

6.54pm

A checkpoint on the only way left open to the ibrahimi (Abraham) mosque.

7.22pm

Going thru Bethlehem checkpoint

7.24pm

Part two

7.27pm

3

7.28pm

Part 4

7.30pm

Bethlehem checkpoint part 5. It's a long checkpoint

7.33pm

Bethlehem checkpoint part 6

7.37pm

Part 7

7.40pm

Bethlehem checkpoint part 8

7.46pm

9

7.48pm

Bethlehem checkpoint part 10

7.50pm

Bethlehem checkpoint part 11

7.52pm

And we're out. That's the day to day of Palestinian life

9.35 am 28/5

Entrance to dome of the rock barred by Israeli police

9.49am

Still not allowed in. Getting in trouble for photos

10.37am

Forced to go through tourist entrance by wailing wall.

10.46am

One of us turned back for wearing a Palestinian bracelet

11.10am

Now we have all been aggressively turned away. Would not give a clear reason or statement.

6.41pm

Theatre closed by police & army

7.01pm

Moved to the British Council and will do final event here

7.11pm

The show goes on