Since 2001 we have observed dozens of army checkpoints on paved and unpaved roads in the West Bank, the Jordan Valley and along the Separation Fence; Civil Administration offices which grant permits to Palestinians; and military courts trying Palestinian prisoners. We stand at the checkpoints observing the behavior of soldiers and Palestinians without interfering, intervening only when soldiers behave offensively to Palestinians. Then we try to speak to the soldiers themselves or telephone...
Reihan, Shaked, Sat 6.2.10, Morning
06/02/2010 ,Morning
Sarit A., Rachel H. (reporting)
Reihan
06:5 Rihan-Barta'a checkpoint
Extremely cold, clear, windy. 2 vans are waiting. We hear strong barks from the direction of the dog house .
Flower pots that were stuck on the wall of the quarried hill over the sleeve's fence are already planted.
07:00 "Good morning, begin the flow", the announcement is heard.
The entrance post is manned by a yelling, rude security woman. :"Sacker" (close!) No one hold the door! 'Bas Hamsa" (only five!) "What didI say?! Sacker! close! Bas Hamsa! bas hamsa! do not run! What did I say? No no no no....bas hamsa! sacker lebab, now you can go through, foto bas hamsa (Go only five at a time), more than five, Awera (back!)."
On and on the orders are given. Passage time is about 15-20 minutes. Two windows are manned by female workers of the security firm. The first came out at 07:08. There are many young females going through today.
At 07:25 the crowding at the entrance eases and whoever arrives goes in and the educational orders from the gate end.
07:35 All of a sudden the gates of the terminal close. Why? soon the security man open the doors and joins them to the magnets that holds them wide open.
Two security men by the roadblock speak to each other in a loud voice:"You are a son of a bitch" says one to the other.... The gates of the trucks inspection area open and we see six vehicles with the agricultural produce that had entered half an hour ago and now drive out. The drivers are the ones to open the gates while the security person is the one who closes it. (Surprisingly the gates are not electrical).
We stand to watch passage of people through the vehicles inspection post.All passengers get out of the vehicles,one after another they run their magnetic cards in the notch designated for that. After sorting out identification and passage issues of those wishing to cross over, the driver gets back his I.D card and the taxi or the bus can proceed. About ten minutes per vehicle.
08:15 13 vans wait for passengers at the upper car park area.
We left.
08:25 - Shaked-Tura checkpoint
The sun is already out but it is still cold. As we get out of the car we hear yelling aimed at someone but except for us, there is no one on site, so we realize that the we are the target of the yelling. :"Do not move forward, you have an Israeli ID card, get back to the station, you are not allowed here, I can arrest you, get back".
The hysterical Sergeant gets to the gate, his rank stripes are held by a safety pin and are hidden. We try and explain the orders of the checkpoint and show him the line (that does not exist) which we are banned from crossing.
The Sergeant insists that he can arrest us.
We stood there for a while and as we were leaving we heard calls :"Want to cross over to the other side? come on move to the other side....
08:40 - We left.
Atarot checkpoint 24.01.109
Atarot checkpoint 24.01.10
Atarot checkpoint 24.01.10
Atarot checkpoint 24.01.10
