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...
Jalama, Reihan, Shaked, Thu 14.1.10, Morning
14/01/2010 ,Morning
Linda B. (new member), Neta J. (reporting)
Reihan
6:00 A'anin CP
The soldiers open the CP.
06:10 The first person goes through. Until 06:30 six men went through, as well as two women and four children who went with their parents during the vacation, and two tractors. Additional people did not arrive. We are told again that the civil administration gave very few agricultural permits this season. One farmer told us that there is work in cleaning up the fields. He also planted onions in his patch of gound. The man told us that his father, who is the owner of the land, 80 years old, and cannot work any more, did receive a permit for two years. His father has five sons and four daughters. The only people who received permits are this man and one of the sisters. They got them with great difficulty and only for two months.
06:40 Reihan-Barta'a CP
The guardsman at the vehicle CP asks us if we know Edna from the program 'Big Brother'. He is glad when we answer that we do, and tells us that she was not allowed to show maps on the program.
There is very little traffic at this time. An older man sells coffee. It seems that he is not making very much money. Our friend, the driver A., has had his car repaired after it was hit in the CP the day before yesterday. He continues driving passengers to and from the CP as usual. Six loaded pickup trucks are waiting for inspection.
The guardsman at the vehicle CP asks us if we know Edna from the program 'Big Brother'. He is glad when we answer that we do, and tells us that she was not allowed to show maps on the program.
There is very little traffic at this time. An older man sells coffee. It seems that he is not making very much money. Our friend, the driver A., has had his car repaired after it was hit in the CP the day before yesterday. He continues driving passengers to and from the CP as usual. Six loaded pickup trucks are waiting for inspection.
On the side of the seamline zone, people are waiting for rides. They say that the passage was quick.
07:30 Shaked-Tura CP
The pupils are on vacation; there is no traffic from the seamline zone to the West Bank. A few people go through from the West Bank to the seamline zone. They say that today everything is 'ok'.
08:40 Jalameh CP
A few pedestrians go through from Israel to the West Bank at this time. A few cars belonging to Israeli Arabs arrive at the vehicle CP. Aya, the little girl whom we came to take to Rambam with her mother, is delayed for some reason on the Palestinian side of the CP. Somebody tells us that her father phoned him and said that they are not being allowed to enter the terminal. We try to find out what is going on by asking the person in charge of the shift.
9:00 Aya and her mother enter the CP and after ten minutes they come out. Aya's mother says that the CP was closed for a whole hour. The person in charge says that it was closed for half an hour. The reason for closing it was apparently -- breakfast. Here, too, a guardsman asks us if we know Edna from the program 'Big Brother.'
A few pedestrians go through from Israel to the West Bank at this time. A few cars belonging to Israeli Arabs arrive at the vehicle CP. Aya, the little girl whom we came to take to Rambam with her mother, is delayed for some reason on the Palestinian side of the CP. Somebody tells us that her father phoned him and said that they are not being allowed to enter the terminal. We try to find out what is going on by asking the person in charge of the shift.
9:00 Aya and her mother enter the CP and after ten minutes they come out. Aya's mother says that the CP was closed for a whole hour. The person in charge says that it was closed for half an hour. The reason for closing it was apparently -- breakfast. Here, too, a guardsman asks us if we know Edna from the program 'Big Brother.'
Atarot checkpoint 24.01.109
Atarot checkpoint 24.01.10
Atarot checkpoint 24.01.10
Atarot checkpoint 24.01.10
