Detainees
24/01/2012 ,Morning
Hannah H.
Translation: Bracha B.A. 06:00 – Reihan Checkpoint The upper parking lot is filled with cars but there are only few people. I was told that the checkpoint opened at 05:00 but that things were not running smoothly – the machine was working but the people were not. Women coming towards me in the sleeve report that the terminal is crowded and people are delayed. They demand that I "Tell them." I wish I could. At 06:15 there is a big crowd of people waiting in front of the entrance to the terminal like I have never seen before. There is a lot of noise and commotion, but no one is coming out. Soon people begin to come out, but not in an orderly manner – a group comes out and then there is a pause, then another group and a pause. 06:30 – a woman is waiting for her friends who have not come out yet. Eventually they come out. Another group has gone in but only two of them come out. At 06:40 all the women workers have usually come out by now, but today they are still coming out. The men come out at a run since they are already very late for work. At 06:45 people stop coming out again and there is a commotion inside the terminal grows louder. People who usually come out at 06:30 only got out at 07:05 today. There are still people waiting at the entrance to the terminal to go inside.
22/01/2012 ,Afternoon
Hassida S., Ruthi T., (Reporting)
Translation: Bracha B.A.
16:10-17:30
16:10 – Shaked-Tura Checkpoint
There are few people crossing. It is cold and rainy and there are dark clouds to the southwest and a rainbow in the clouds to the north. The well-dressed banker's new car is still not listed on his permit, and he has to walk back to his home in Dahar al Malakh. A youth rides through on a white donkey, both are wet. A soldier in the lookout point plays songs on his harmonica.
16:40 – Reihan Barta'a Checkpoint
There are a lot of workers hurrying down the sleeve to the terminal. There are two windows open. Rain is pouring down on the small covered area in front of the turnstile and it remains open, evidently out of consideration for the people who are hurrying in out of the rain and arrive wet. One of the workers tells us that he worked all day welding without any roof over his head. There are four "illegals" sitting on the bench. One of them is an old friend of Hassida's and is pleased to see her and sends regards to everyone, especially to Tami.
15/01/2012 ,Afternoon
Ruthi T., Yochi A., (Reporting)
Translation: Bracha B.A.
15:10 – Shaked-Tura Checkpoint
Two soldiers approached us and told us not to get any closer to the checkpoint. There is little traffic. A few people cross from the West Bank to the seamline zone: one with a bag of pita bread, a student with a book, and three men are carrying new chairs. A heavy military vehicle with a shovel crosses the checkpoint and returns with a shovel full of good black earth. When we looked for it later we saw that at the checkpoint they are preparing a garden. A tractor loaded with plastic strips crosses to the West Bank with almost no inspection. The driver goes through the inspection facility.
We left at 15:40.
15:50 – Reihan Barta'a Checkpoint
There is a new bucket hanging above the well at the entrance which is very decorative. 12 trucks are waiting to be checked.
We continued towards the Dotan Checkpoint. The charcoal factories in the area are not working and there is no smoke and no smell. (There was an order given to close the charcoal factories.) A soldier informs us that the charcoal factories were closed because of the carcinogenic materials they were exuding and because the trees being used were stolen. We remind him that many families had been earning their living for hundreds of years from the work in the charcoal factories and now have no jobs. We asked him how he felt about that and his reply was, "very good."
16:15 – Dotan Checkpoint – the checkpoint is manned and cars are undergoing a quick inspection. There is a brief exchange with the drivers and a quick peep inside each car. On back at the exit from the Barta'a checkpoint we are delayed for a long time. The clerk confers with someone on the phone. Finally she checks the trunk of the car and lets us through. At 16:20 an armed guard leaves the inspection facility, walks into the middle of the road, and looks at the workers coming back. Four cars leave the inspection facility. Two are driven by women.
There are a lot of people going into the sleeve. Workers are being dropped off by Israeli and Palestinian employers. Two windows are open in the terminal and people are going through quickly. A woman who speaks Hebrew with an Israeli passport crosses from the West Bank to her home in West Barta'a (on the Israeli side) with her three children. She is waiting for her husband who is still being checked. Everyone speaks Hebrew. She is a little nervous and explains that this is the first time she has going through the checkpoint. There is one detainee sitting on the bench.
We left at 17:00.
08/01/2012 ,Afternoon
Roni Hammermann and Tamar Fleishman (reporting); Guest: Michal
Translation: Ruth Fleishman
Qalandiya:.JPG)
At the deserted territory over which no authority takes responsibility, the place which is a 'no man's land", that according to the maps belongs to the city of Jerusalem that holds the duty to provide services such as the evacuation of garbage which is just one example, piles of trash were set fire to near the wall that surrounds the checkpoint, for this is the only option that the residents of the refugee camp have for getting rid of this sanitary hazard that accumulates into mountains of garbage.
The claim made by the workers of the municipality that they avoid the place for fear of violence and attacks, are unconvincing in light of the raids performed by the inspectors on the poverty stricken paddlers, hunting down children as well as men, events which occur every day in that very same place.JPG)
.
On the wall, in black and blue was a greeting from Berlin:
"Freedom, Peace & Justice for Palestine! Tabea from Berlin". And between the hundreds of vehicles stuck in endless traffic jam, that tail of which could not be seen, the child Muhamad was selling lupines packed in nylon bags tied in a rubber band.
Jaba checkpoint:
Lately (so say the cab drivers), soldiers have been reinforcing the policemen who prevent those coming out of Ramallah/Qalandiya from driving freely on road 60 on their way to Hizmee checkpoint. Apparently, there is need for combined forces for this assignment which is in service of the settlers.JPG)
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Four Palestinian detainees stood by the checkpoint, watching the dog and its trainer walk towards their car, inside and around which the dog received its training. Once the pair from the Oketz unit were finished and the owner of the Palestinian car that "hosted" the dog (which according to Islam defiles everything it comes in contact with), did as Palestinians do after decades of years under occupation, each time they are released without harm, and shouted loudly towards the soldier that returned his keys to him: "Thank you so much!".
06/01/2012 ,Afternoon
Rachela C.
Mini shift: I was visiting in Daher-el-Malec (Friday noon) and after leaving B.'s house I drove to the nearby checkpoints - Shaked and later to Riehan.
14:40 - 14:55 Shaked checkpoint
Windy and cold!!! it seem that a lot of rain fell. Outside: 2 female soldiers (Military Police), 2 male soldiers - one at the elevated post another inside the shed.
During the time I stood there one car crossed in the direction of Tura. and I've heard of someone, a resident of Daher-el-Malec, who had arrived from Ya'abed and was detained for a long time at the checkpoint until she was let through.
15:05 - 15:20 Reihan checkpoint
A Palestinian car parked in front of the inspection post. its driver sits at the "amusement park".
When I left the car was still at that same point, its driver inside. Many workers arrive in cars bearing yellow plates. at this time the seamstresses had arrive.
Entry to the terminal is in groups of five and the turnstile keeps stopping (there's always someone stuck in it). The line is not too long. While I was there two windows were open. About 10 people set by the side. Before I left I watched them walking in the direction of the far window, perhaps they were called there. One of the people who waited outside the turnstile explain to me that when people return to the West Bank with no passage permit (Illegal aliens) they are punished by one to two hours' detention and then they undergo inspection. Cars with yellow plates go through without delays.
The rain has stopped, the skies are clear, the sun is out, vision is clear in all directions, the view is outstanding. Looking from the road one can see the ongoing building in the settlement of Riehan. At Um-el-Rihan I could observe a new unfinished chicken coop. I was told that construction has been interrupted. By whose order???
05/01/2012 ,Afternoon
Tzafrira Zamir, Neta Golan
Translation: Bracha B.A.
15:13 – A'anin Checkpoint
The gates are open and people and tractors are passing through. Three girls from the Bedouin clan, who live beneath the checkpoint, whom we know and see many mornings while they wait for their ride to school, are dressed up to greet their uncle who is coming from A'anin. He does not arrive, and the soldiers tell us that even if he does come he cannot cross to the seamline zone at this hour.
Two young men whose permits have expired on December 31st, 2011 are debating whether to go home through A'anin checkpoint or to go with us to the Reihan checkpoint. The checkpoint commander, a staff sergeant, promises us that he will let them through and not confiscate their ID cards if they are "not criminals." The two young men enter the area between the two gates and the first sergeant and the policewoman begin to call and check. At 15:45 two farmers arrive and cross through. The checkpoint is open until 16:00. At 16:00 one of the young men is released and allowed to go home. The gates of the checkpoint are closed. We wait until 16:15, when the other young man is allowed to leave.
16:25 – Shaked-Tura Checkpoint
A few workers, a car, two trucks and a donkey and wagon cross to the West Bank. A family crosses to the seamline zone.
16:50 – Reihan Barta'a Checkpoint - The Seamline Zone Side
Three vehicles and their passengers are waiting to cross to the West Bank. Workers are entering the sleeve carrying bags of oranges. There is no line at the entrance to the terminal. Four detainees are waiting on the bench and two windows are operating. Occasionally the clerk at the windows deal with students and families going towards the seamline zone and a line builds up but quickly disappears again. One of the people passing through marvels that "they are working nicely". We notice that the upper arms of the turnstile at the entrance have been covered with black rubber to prevent possible injuries to people passing through.
At 17:15 we left, but workers continued to arrive. There are still three cars waiting to cross to the West Bank. The bus from the "Shomron Development Company crosses to the seamline zone without being stopped.
22/12/2011 ,Afternoon
Tzafrira Z., Neta G. (reporting)
Translation: Bracha B.A.
14:15 – Reihan Barta'a Checkpoint
The main parking lot and the auxiliary parking lot near the road are completely full. The seamstresses who work in East Barta'a are returning from work. The car which will take them back to Yaabed is parked on the road since there is no room in the parking lot. They are pleased to see us – we haven't met for a long time. Agricultural workers are also coming back at this time. Some of them are carrying bags of oranges that they brought from work. Among those waiting on the road is a mother with her small twin daughters, who look like twin dolls. On our way to A'anin we met someone we knew, a resident of A'anin, who'd asked us for a ride to the checkpoint. The man had spent the night at his sister's in Um a-Reihan and was concerned he would not be allowed to return through A'anin checkpoint. He asked us to take him to Reihan-Barta'a checkpoint if that happened.
15:00 A'anin Checkpoint
About 30 people as well as three tractors are already waiting in front of the checkpoint gate. The soldiers open the gates and people begin to cross. The military policewoman has no computer today and she is checking people's IDs against her list. She is also checking the tractors. Two soldiers are securing her. An elderly woman and man are detained. After a few minutes they are allowed to return to their homes. Our hitchhiker is also briefly detained and then allowed through.
15:30More people arrive, including the tractor driver, who's been allowed through last week at Shaked-Tura, when his tractor broke down (See report from 15.12.11). They were promised that they would be able to cross at Shaked-Tura on the days when A'anin checkpoint was closed. Unfortunately, he and 25 other farmers never received this piece of information. Tomorrow he will try to cross there and we will check to see what happens.
15:50 – Shaked-Tura Checkpoint
There is very little traffic at this hour. Several women cross, including a child in a pram – a rare sight here.
16:00– There is no need to check if our hitchhiker would be allowed to cross since he has already received permission, so we return to Haifa instead to celebrate Christmas and Hanukah.
06/12/2011 ,Afternoon
Ravital S., Racheleh H. (reporting and photographing)
Translator: Charles K.
11:45 Bezeq checkpoint – We crossed.
Clear skies, the hillsides becoming green, the occupation is at full tilt…
Alon Road
The fence of Maskiyot settlement, with its light poles, is now below a huge sign reading “Maskiyot.” The suspicion that they’re preparing for a new stage of construction seems to be coming true.
Gochia checkpoint
Soldiers, two military ATVs, and a white military Transit standing near the gate. The area looks as if a geological trauma had occurred. Rocks, piles of earth, a broad, deep trench west of the berm.
The earth mound
Three teams working to raise it higher and dig the trench behind it (Maginot Line?). The southernmost team nears the Hamra checkpoint, where there was a huge yellow bulldozer. Each of the two teams working west of the section of the road between the settlements of Ro’i and Beqa’ot has two D9 bulldozers and soldiers protecting them. The process: a bulldozer digs and deepens the trench west of the earth mound, a second bulldozer puts the excavated earth on the earth mound, to make it higher.
12:35 Hamra checkpoint
A staff sergeant approaches us to put us in our place. He’s pleased to discover he knows us.
Many (more than 15) soldiers on site. Various vehicles, include a huge prison vehicle. The soldiers are geared up from head to toe, including knives strapped to their legs, as if on their way to some operation. A line of six cars forms. One soldier notices and waves them through. The staff sergeant gathers the fighters and orders them to clean the checkpoint area.
13:15 We left.
13:30 Tayasir checkpoint
A Transit (ID number in red) belonging to the Palestinian Authority Ministry of Health waits to cross eastward. The driver says they arrived at the checkpoint at about 1 PM. A small truck stands at the position on the road, 4 or 5 people sitting on the curb. Soldiers gathered around them. After about 15 minutes a line of taxis and other cars has formed. One of the drivers shows us photographs of long lines that he takes every day, at different times. He says that drivers and passengers wait and wait, and the soldiers don’t let them through.
When we began moving toward the checkpoint (13:45) a soldier came over.
“You’re not allowed to be here,” “Closed military area,” he said he’d been sent to move us away. We asked who’s being detained. The answer: “Someone who had been imprisoned. We’re waiting for them to contact us over the radio, and then we’ll transfer him.” We hadn’t managed to find out how he know the person had been imprisoned, and if he had, why detain him now, when two officers emerged from the army base. We asked why three soldiers are leaning over one of the detainees, and what are they’re doing to him. The officer said he’s going to see what’s happening. So do we.
14:00 We telephone Chana B. The answer wasn’t long in coming. We were asked to wait half an hour to see whether they’ll be released.
We hear the soldiers who are near the detainees: “I’m not talking to you!!!” “He’s been in the Islamic Movement for three years, and that one has been a member for five years…” Meanwhile you can see the long line that formed to the east. A military jeep comes out of the base. One of the drivers calls to a soldier and offers to move aside the truck blocking the crossing to allow the cars to go through. And at 14:05 his offer is implemented. The detainees are sent to sit near the wall of the observation tower, the truck is parked in the adjacent parking bay. The caravan begins to cross.
14:15 The cars from the west begin crossing.
14:30 The pupils arrive. They ask for food, for money, and run to their minibus. There was no one to ask how long they’d waited to cross.
Sounds of gunfire from the firing ranges. More and more shots.
14:40 We begin to leave. The detainees are still seated at the foot of the wall. Seven soldiers come out of the base in a line, one designated to bring up the rear. They’re loaded down. One complains: “Why did you drop this target practice on me?”
14:45 We left.
15:05 Bezeq checkpoint – we went through.
Phone call from Chana: The detainees were released at about 16:30.
29/11/2011 ,Morning
Anat Toeg, Luna (a visitor from the U.S) Nava Jenny Elyashar (reporting)
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We were detained for an hour on the Palestinian side of the checkpoint, trying to co-ordinate our return to the Israeli side.
7:30 Sheikh Saed
A cold morning. We arrived with our American visitor, Luna, and were detained on the Palestinian side for an entire hour.
The sequence of events:
7:30: A border policeman tells us that "as I already told you in the past, if you enter Sheikh Saed, you will not be able to return without telephone co-ordination..." (we had no idea who to co-ordinate with). Anat told him that we regularly cross through the checkpoint, and we have the right to enter and leave, because this is area B.
7:45 After surveying the empty checkpoint, and relating the history of the checkpoint to our guest, we wanted to be on our way. Anat called the headquarters of the Jerusalem Envelope (the headquarters of the Civil Administration). The female soldier had no idea who Machsomwatch might be, but promised to find an officer who would authorize our crossing.
Meanwhile, we were approached by some of the "taxi drivers" waiting next to their private cars in expectation of a local who might need a ride. On a good day they can earn up to NIS 120. Supply exceeds demand, and the prices are not so high. One of the men led us to the grocery shop where they gave us three cups of piping hot coffee (not Arabic coffee, but the instant "mud" style made of Elite coffee). He and his friends clustered around our beautiful guest, Luna, who smiled shyly. An awkward and unpleasant situation.
7:55 The soldier at headquarters has not yet been able to locate her commander, and we are not allowed to cross back in the direction of Jerusalem. In the meantime, three border policemen approach from the hill, and at closer quarters observe us from the other side of the fence. To me, they appear very amused, as though their dreary daily routine has been broken.
8:05 Anat calls the humanitarian centre. A., who knows us, answers the phone and tries to get hold of one of the officers.
8:10 Anat connects with S., an officer in the humanitarian centre, who asks her to call back in a few minute, after he gets hold of the DCO officer who will relay an order to the checkpoint.
8:15 Anat gets back to S. and tells him that unless we are allowed to cross through the checkpoint, we will have to take a Palestinian taxi to take us to the Olive Terminal, and asks if that is what they had in mind when they spoke of "co-ordination" and "protecting our security."
8:25 S. announces that there is co-ordination and that we try to cross. When we reached the checking booth a different policeman sits there, he allows Anat to cross but stops Luna when she displays her American passport.
I am stuck behind between turnstiles, and fear we'll have to take Luna back in a Palestinian taxi with the enthusiastic young driver who has already made her an offer of marriage... I called out to the policeman in the booth, apprised him of my anxiety about possible complications should this be necessary.
8:27 Anat, still in conversation with S., explains that Luna is our guest and wears our identifying tag. She says that in the past we had come with visitors carrying a foreign passport, and had never been stopped.
8:30 I am released from the turnstile and we leave the checkpoint.
8:35 We called S. from our car-phone to thank him for his help. He apologized for the incident, and said this had been an anomaly which he hoped would not recur. We ask him to give clear orders emphasizing our right to be there in the framework of our right (as a civil rights organisation which we represent), to cross and recross the checkpoint.
9:00 Silwan
Nothing has changed since our visit last week. Along the way we pointed out, for the benefit of our guest, the landmark buildings flying the Israeli flag, dotting the Palestinian community.
9:15 Abu Dis
A tour along the wall, as far as the hotel, and back, through the houses remaining on the Israeli side but encircled from the back (at private expense) by a separation fence more attractive than the regular dreary wall. The back balconies of homes abutting the border on their eastern side, are all blocked thickets of by iron railings from the ground to the roof.
9:30 Olive Terminal
In the course of our drive we told Hanna of the event with the border policeman at the Sheikh Saed checkpoint. She told us that if the soldiers at the checkpoint insist on regulations, they won't allow Luna with her foreign passport to cross at the Olive Terminal, and she will be sent to the Bethlehem checkpoint (300) or Qalandia. We therefore abandoned plans to enter the Terminal. From the outside the checkpoint looked empty, and we observed no problems.
29/11/2011 ,Morning
ענת טואג, לונה (אורחת מארה"ב) , נאוה ג'ני אלישר (מדווחת)
במשך שעה התעכבנו בצד הפלשתיני של המחסום תוך ניסיון לתאם את חזרתנו לשטח ישראל.
שיח' סעד – 7:30
בוקר קר, הגענו לשיח' סעי עם לונה, האורחת האמריקנית, ועוכבנו בתוך השטח הפלסטיני במשך שעה תמימה.
השתלשלות העניינים:
7:30 שוטר מג"ב, מודיע לנו ש: "...כמו שכבר אמרתי לכן בעבר, אם תכנסו לשיח' סעד לא תוכלנה לחזור ללא תיאום טלפוני..." (לנו לא היה ברור עם מי מתאמים). ענת ענתה לו שאנו תמיד עוברות במחסום ושיש לנו זכות להיכנס וגם לצאת, כיון שמדובר בשטח B.
7:45 לאחר שסקרנו את המחסום הריק וסיפרנו לאורחת על תולדות המחסום ביקשנו להמשיך בדרכנו. ענת טלפנה לחמ"ל של עוטף ירושלים (חדר המצב של המינהל האזרחי). החיילת לא ידעה מהו ארגון מחסום ווטש אך הבטיחה לנסות למצוא קצין שיאשר לנו את המעבר.
בינתיים, התקרבו אלינו כמה מ 'נהגי המוניות' המחכים ליד מכוניותיהם הפרטיות בציפייה שיגיע תושב מקומי הזקוק להסעה. ביום טוב הם יכולים להרוויח עד 120 ₪. ההיצע רב על הביקוש ומחירי הנסיעה אינם כה גבוהים. אחד הבחורים מוביל אותנו למכולת בה מכינים עבורנו שלוש כוסות קפה לוהט (לא קפה ערבי מבושל אלא קפה בוץ מתוצרת 'עילית'). הוא וחבריו מתקבצים סביב האורחת היפה שלנו, לונה, המחייכת במבוכה. לא נעים.
7:55 החיילת מן החמ"ל עוד לא הצליחה לאתר את המפקד שלה ולנו אסור לעבור במחסום חזרה לכיוון ירושלים.
בינתיים, שלושה שוטרי מג"ב עולים במעלה ההר וצופים בנו מקרוב מצידה השני של הגדר. לי הם נראים מאוד משועשעים. כאילו נשברה שגרת יומם המשעממת.
8:05 ענת מתקשרת למוקד ההומניטארי. ע' שעונה לטלפון, מכיר אותנו ומנסה להשיג את אחד הקצינים.
8:10 ענת מקבלת קשר עם ש', קצין מן המוקד ההומניטארי, המבקש ממנה להתקשר בעוד כמה דקות, לאחר שישיג את קצין המת"ק שיוריד הוראה למחסום.
8:15 ענת חוזרת לש', היא אומרת שאם לא יאפשרו לנו לצאת דרך המחסום כנראה ניאלץ לקחת מונית פלסטינית ולהגיע איתה אל מעבר הזיתים. היא שואלת האם לכך הם התכוונו כשדיברו על 'תיאומים' ועל 'שמירה על ביטחוננו'.
8:25 ש' מבשר שיש תיאום ומבקש שננסה לעבור דרך המחסום. כשהגענו לבידוק ישב בתא שוטר אחר, הוא מעביר את ענת אך עוצר את לונה כשהיא מציגה בפניו את דרכונה האמריקאי.
אני, תקועה מאחור בין שלבי הקרוסלה, נבהלת מהאפשרות שניאלץ לנסוע עם לונה במונית פלסטינית עם הנהג הצעיר והנלהב שכבר הציע לה נישואין... קראתי בקול לשוטר שבתא הבידוק, ודיווחתי לו על החשש שלי מהסתבכות אפשרית, במידה וניאלץ לעשות זאת.
8:27 ענת, עדיין בשיחה עם ש', מסבירה כי לונה היא אורחת מחסום ווטש, ועונדת את תג הזיהוי שלנו. היא מספרת כי גם בעבר היינו מגיעות עם אורחים בעלי דרכון זר ומעולם לא נעצרנו במחסום.
8:30 שוחררתי מבין שלבי הקרוסלה ועזבנו את המחסום.
8:35 מהטלפון שברכב התקשרנו אל ש' להודות לו על עזרתו. הוא התנצל על המקרה ואמר שמה שקרה הוא זה מקרה פרטי שהוא מקווה שלא יחזור, אנחנו מבקשות ממנו שיינתנו הוראות ברורות, שידגישו כי מותר לנו, במסגרת תפקידנו בארגון זכויות האדם שאותו אנחנו מייצגות, לעלות מעבר למחסום ולרדת.
סילואן – 9:00
שום דבר לא השתנה מאז ביקורנו בשבוע שעבר. לאורך הדרך מיפינו, עבור האורחת, את נקודות הציון של היישוב הפלסטיני ובו משובצים הבתים בעלי הדגל הישראלי.
אבו דיס – 9:15
סיור לאורך החומה, עד המלון, וחזרה, דרך הבתים שנשארו בצד הישראלי, אך הוקפו מאחור, במימון עצמי, בחומת הפרדה משופרת ויפה בהרבה מהחומה האפרורית הרגילה. בבתים בהם עובר קו הגבול לאורך הקיר המזרחי של הבית, נחסמו כל המרפסות האחוריות בסבכת ברזל מרצפה עד תקרה.
מעבר הזיתים – 9:30
תוך כדי נסיעה סיפרנו לחנה על מעללי מג"ב במחסום שיח' סעד. היא הזהירה אותנו כי אם יתעקשו חיילי המחסום על התקנון, לא יתנו ללונה, בעלת הדרכון הזר, לעבור דרך מעבר הזיתים והיא תישלח למחסום בבית לחם (300) או בקלאנדיה. אי לכך, ויתרנו הפעם על כניסה למעבר הזיתים. במבט מבחוץ היה המחסום ריק ולא צפינו בעיה במעבר.
