Mevo Dotan (Imriha)

Translator:  Charles K.

06:05  A’anin checkpoint

Only a few people crossing on this cold and rainy morning.  They include a good-natured, toothless elderly woman who refused our offer to get in the car so we could give her a ride to her destination.  She’ll wait in the wind and rain for her grandson from Umm Reihan to pick her up.

06:30  Reihan-Barta’a checkpoint

A few taxi vans wait in the upper parking lot for people crossing from the West Bank to the seam zone.  Laborers who’ve already come through the terminal wait for their rides under the canopy at the end of the fenced corridor.  The lower Palestinian parking lot is still empty.  Vehicles transporting people from the West Bank who work in the seam zone, and in Barta’a, let them out; they immediately enter the terminal.  There’s not much traffic.

Six large pickup trucks loaded with agricultural produce wait on the road for their documents to be checked before their cargo is inspected.  Two more pickup trucks next to the canopy load flats of eggs.  There’s a notice posted there in Arabic with the phone number of the Crossings Administration.

A delicate rainbow is visible above the filthy road.  What a contrast!

07:05  Dothan checkpoint

We visited our friend W. at the new location of the charcoal kiln, which had been moved here after the kilns in the Dothan Valley and elsewhere had been shut down because they made it difficult for the settlers in the area to breathe.  They’re not now burning wood here either, but packing charcoal that arrived from somewhere else.  W. sleeps in a temporary shelter for the sacks of charcoal that are well-covered with plastic.  His bed is exposed to the wind and rain.  Even the miserable dog tied there has a corner to himself.  He doesn’t want us to talk to his boss, who promised him a container.  During the past few days he received special shipments of warm coats and clothing from his friends in Machsom Watch.

07:55  Tayibe Rummaneh checkpoint (below Umm el-Fahm)

A military jeep parked between the fences.  The gates are still locked – they’re supposed to open at 08:00.  A Hummer arrives, the jeep and Hummer leave, one tractor and three farmers are waiting.

08:10  A border police jeep arrives together with an MP whose job it is to check the permits of those crossing.

08:20  “Everyone” crossed.  The border police and the MP have to wait until 08:30.  We don’t.

Translator:  Charles K.

Tura (Shaked) checkpoint  07:05-07:35

The checkpoint's gates are open and traffic flows.  People aren’t held up at the turnstile on the Tura side, and there's no line of cars waiting to enter Palestinian Authority territory.  The banker arrives at the checkpoint from his village, on foot.  He's bought a new car but doesn’t yet have a permit to enter and leave from Tura, only from Barta’a.  So he leaves the car at Tura and walks home and to the checkpoint.

Pupils crossing through the checkpoint

A few children aged about nine arrive on foot from nearby Daher al-Malk.  The school transport arrives at the same time with about 15 children, in kindergarten and the lower grades.  They leave the vehicle and run happily toward the checkpoint, opening their schoolbags for the female soldier to inspect (she’s armed but her weapon isn’t cocked; a soldier nearby guards her, also armed but not pointing his gun at the children).  She peeks into the bags; the children run quickly to the Tura exit gate.  At the same time Y., the driver, leaves his vehicle outside the gate, walks to the inspection building, returns to the vehicle, and drives toward the soldiers, who open the doors and peek in.  He then exits the checkpoint toward Tura and picks up any children who need a ride.  Some of them walk on their own to the village school.

Barta’a (Reihan) checkpoint  07:45-8:20

The parking lot is almost full but no one is double-parked yet.  The new “kiosk” stands next to the prayer corner; a friendly guy offers his wares:  coffee, tea, cigarettes and sweets.

We left a letter with him, from Chana to someone from Yabed village, explaining what he must do to obtain a permit to work in Israel.  After some misunderstanding (T., wearing a red keffiyeh, offered to take the letter to Yabed for NIS 50, but the owner of the kiosk eventually understood that the person would come pick it up from him and everything was arranged).

A pickup truck loaded with merchandise waited to be called for document inspection.  He’s the only one for now, and seems to be waiting until more vehicles arrive.  The first wave of merchandise inspections apparently hasn’t been completed yet (the inspection includes unloading all the merchandise wrapped in plastic, inspecting all the items, putting them back into the plastic wrapping and leaving.  The entire procedure, involving Palestinian porters and inspectors who are apparently Israelis, takes place behind closed doors and lasts about two hours).

Mevo Dothan checkpoint   08:30-08:40

We left a bag containing women’s clothing in the village (with a woman who wanted a ride to Jenin but then realized that we weren’t going there).  We didn’t have any children’s clothing.

At the Dothan checkpoint, as usual, the soldiers saw us from afar and approached to warn us not to cross into Area A.  The soldiers are apparently an ultra-Orthodox Nahal unit.  A long line of vehicles is visible coming from Jenin, and another line has already formed on our side.  Although vehicles going to Jenin must cross “wahad-wahad” (one-by-one), they’re not inspected.  Vehicles coming from Jenin have only their documents inspected, because the road doesn’t lead to Israel but to other Palestinian villages.

We understood that things would go faster if we left, so we did.  Later, in Barta’a (where we went to bring warm clothing to our friend W., whom we’ve known since he was a youth), we heard that yesterday ( On Saturday? The ultra-Orthodox Nahal unit?) there was a long line and soldiers conducted a very slow, careful inspection, and it was hard.

Translator:  Charles K.
No news on the occupation – here’s proof:

  A’anin checkpoint, 06:00 - About 80 people and more exit from the checkpoint in this morning hours, the majority go to  pick olives.

 He’s got his goat:  Goats being led to slaughter for the holiday (Eid al-Adha)

Amriha junction: A phallic pillbox on every hill.
 

Dothan checkpoint – 07:30 – No soldiers; a guard tower.

Reihan checkpoint – 08:00  Radishes forbidden to cross from the West Bank to the Seam Zone.

Translator:  Charles K.

06:10  A’anin checkpoint – sunrise, stinging wasps and the humiliation continues,
thank you very much.
About 30 people and some tractors wait in the middle of the checkpoint to cross.  They approach the soldiers one by one, who find them on the computer’s lists.  Whoever’s holding a bag must empty it onto the ground and then cram everything back in.  There’s absolutely no reason for this humiliation, except the desire to humiliate.  A DCO vehicle is here, which might be why people go through without interference by the soldiers.  Nobody’s sent back.  In addition to the hardships of the occupation, there’s now another problem:  everyone at the checkpoint – soldiers, Palestinians and we – are focused almost entirely on the annoying wasps flying around everywhere, who are particularly fond of Jewish blood.  A rosy sunrise provides some small consolation.

06:50  Shaked checkpoint – Soldiers, children and dogs.
Ten minutes before the checkpoint is to open, it’s reinforced by an impressive number of people in uniform.  But because of the many soldiers crossing is delayed, and begins only at 07:25 when the cute young schoolchildren arrive.  The white DCO vehicle is already here and Amir, from the DCO, asks through his window how we’re doing.  We’re surprised to see a soldier walking around with a German shepherd dog on a leash.

07:50  Mavo Dothan checkpoint – columns of smoke, a display of squills, sounds of music, where’s the flag and…detainees.
The Dothan valley is covered by a cloud of choking smoke and haze from charcoal kilns operating at full blast.  The Israeli flag has disappeared from the checkpoint’s pillbox – God help us!  Lively music and speeches pour from loudspeakers in the town of Yabed up on the hill.  Could they be connected to the Palestinian declaration of independence?

Uniformed reinforcements at the checkpoint, lots of vehicle traffic in both directions.  Five young men who were removed from a red car are made to stand off to the side, one told to stand with his back to the soldiers and then to kneel.  He’s being detained by the GSS, and another lacks an ID card.  They’re a-l-l waiting.  An army vehicle arrives, circles around and covers them with a cloud of dust, filling the Palestinians’ hearts with love and warm feelings.בחום ובאהבה.

Translation: Bracha B.A.

07:10 Shaked Checkpoint

Today is the first day of school.  This is supposed to be a “daily life” checkpoint. Young children will soon be crossing from the seamline zone to their school in Tura in the West Bank.  The road leading to the checkpoint is surrounded by barbed wire making access difficult.  We asked the soldier about this and received a scornful look.  The shepherd with his donkey and herd of goats arrives.  The shepherd is allowed to cross via the road, but the herd has to make its way through the narrow opening.  Another rider crosses over on a white mule.   The girls and boys begin to arrive accompanied by an adult from the nearby village who has volunteered to see them through the checkpoint.  He waits for them all to arrive so they can cross together.  He is there to see how the children are treated: will they be forced to cross through the inspection facility?  The children are dressed in school uniforms and the girls have white ribbons and ponytails in their hair.  One girl is dressed like a princess with a crown on her head – it is evidently her birthday. The last of the children arrive and the adult lines them up.  Fortunately common sense prevails and the soldiers merely glance at their open schoolbags.  There is a white car from the Liaison and Coordination Administration parked at the checkpoint.   The elegant banker arrives and crosses but his car is checked every morning. 

We left.

07:50 Reihan Checkpoint
The Palestinian parking lot on the West Bank side is almost empty.  Evidently people are still on holiday for Eid el Fitr.  Soon the businessmen from Barta'a will arrive and park their cars.  There are 7 trucks waiting to be checked.   We continue to the village of Emricha to bring a bag of used clothing.  Ruthi gets out of the car to give the clothes to a young woman and they embrace and kiss. 

The Mevo Dotan checkpoint is unmanned.  Cars stop out of habit and then drive through.  

08:15– We return to Reihan Checkpoint to the seamline zone side. 

There are many taxis waiting to take people to Barta'a.  People come out of the sleeve and report that there is no delay going through the terminal.  Across the road private cars are crossing to the West Bank.  The passengers get out and only have their documents checked next to the checkpoint.    At 08:35 private cars and a truck drive out of the inspection facility.

We left at 08:45

15:00  A'anin checkpoint 

The soldiers are punctual, the gates are already open. They are also strict; ban a tractor driver to bring in three shabby mattresses. We try to inquire perhaps, after all, it is permissible.

Seven more tractors as well as 20 pedestrians are awaiting passage. There are items that are not allowed through: One tractor driver is forced to leave on his land a big sack with old/used clothes , another had to give up an old  sink that he had found, someone else is ordered to through away a car's side mirror.

The begs of second hand cloths that we had brought were allowed in.

15:35Our mattress-inquiry at the Brigade is still underway. A soldier tries to explain to us the danger that can be caused by used mattresses. The rest of the people had already gone through.

15:50  The Brigade's decision arrived. It is not allowed to bring it mattresses. The tractor driver together with his son drive away to throw the mattresses on their land and the soldiers wait for their return to close down the checkpoint. 

16:05 Shaked-Tura

There is hardly any traffic at this time.

16:35 Dotan checkpoint

On the way over we pass by the car park area which is full on the Palestinian side of the Reihan-Barta'a checkpoint and on the bridge with the iron handles that are always locked and block the short access to the Tul-Karem/Reihan road. Why ?
 Maybe they forgot to open it? 
Sparse traffic on both sides.
 

17:00 Reihan-Barta'a checkpoint , the sleeve on the side of the SLZ.

A relatively few workers return from work at the SLZ and in Israel. One window is open and there is no crowding in the line. From time to time a few are detained on the bench and are free to go with in a short while.

A group of young girls return from the West Bank into the SLZ.

Translated by Ilil N.-B.

Theme of the day: The smirk in the occupation

6:00-6:55: Reihan Checkpoint

The checkpoint has been open since 5am. A few of the seamstresses are already exiting the terminal.  They’re dresses all in black today, how come?  The lower parking lot is still empty.  Passage through the terminal takes only a few minutes.

The restroom is clean and well-stocked.  In the shed, egg cartons await merchants from Barta’a. Rugs adorn the floor and a rope separates out the prayer area.  There’s even a bed to rest on.  We’ve agreed to get someone to sign a request to cancel his prohibition on entry into Israel, and also to charge him money for court and lawyer expenses.  We wait for him for half an hour but he doesn’t show up.  So in the meantime, we “pop over” to the Mevo Dotan checkpoint.

Mevo Dotan Checkpoint

Cars loaded with workers and agricultural produce have been passing through since before 5am, but the checkpoint isn’t manned.  We guess the danger only starts at 8am or 9am.  The electricity generator, however, is working.  How come, really?

Reihan Checkpoint (again)

About ten merchandise-laden cars are having their papers checked and proceeding to baggage checks under the silvery checkpoint roofs.  It’s a more spacious area than the rest, probably to allow for simultaneous examinations. 

The Palestinian we have been waiting for answers the phone (there’s reception only in the south-east corner of the parking lot, a place that used to hold putrid-smelling restrooms).  He’s still at home, and says he’ll arrive within an hour.  Oh well, we’ll go back to Shaked and return in an hour.

7:02-7:45: Shaked Checkpoint

The gates are already open.  A long line snakes out from the eastern side, and people are crowding the other side, too.  The archaeologist waits patiently for the labourers and their minibus.  Ancient relics have been discovered at the Shahak area.  Regulars complain about the crowdedness and delay, but at 7:30 everything’s over and the place is quiet once again.

A banker in a suit arrives, exits his car and goes in to get checked.  He has an awesome remote control for his car: now standing at a distance from the vehicle, at the entrance to the checkpoint hut, he presses the remote and the car and its windows lock automatically.   But his power is an illusion.  There’s a bigger ruler here.  Since the checkpoint looks free and empty, he returns to the car, turns on the ignition, and drives half a meter towards the checkpoint crossing.  A soldier in a helmet and Kevlar vest jumps out in anger, waving his hand and shouting “Irdja, irdja”, go back! (Who are you, well-dressed Palestinian, compared to me?! Your little remote may be powerful but mine’s more so. Irdja, irdja!). The banker stops, backs up the half-meter, and the strong, ruling soldier holds out his hand in a gesture that says, “You can pass only when I say so!”. 

We get mad at the soldier and yell that his behavior is despicable!  This is, after all, a “fabric of life” checkpoint.  Soldiers are mandated to respect all citizens who must cross here each day, since one village is separated from its neighbor by a fence and a checkpoint!

The car doors open.  The soldier peeks inside.  The driver turns on the ignition, but the trunk remains open.  The soldier closes it himself and the ceremony is thus concluded.  We’re embarrassed, and wonder whether it was our angry rebuke that made the soldier close the trunk himself without hassling the driver any further?

Translation: Bracha B.A.

8.10 – 5.55

A'anin Checkpoint – 05:35

There is a significant presence of soldiers at the checkpoint but the gates are not yet open.   The gates open at 06:10 and people immediately begin to cross quickly.  46 people and seven tractors pass through.  One tractor and seven people are sent back – they are mainly teenagers who have no permit to enter the seamline zone.   We were told that 50 new permits were issued yesterday and we noticed that there were many young people crossing.  A 16-year-old boy was sent back when he attempted to cross with his father who has a disability.  He can no longer cross using his father's permit and requires his own ID.  One tractor carried five elderly women – the only people in their families to receive permits.   By 07:05 everyone had crossed and the gates were closed.

Shaked Checkpoint – 07:20

A bus arrives from Nablus to pick up 21 workers who are working on an archeological dig near the Shaked Industrial Zone, but the workers have not yet exited the inspection facility.  The workers work permanently with the Civilian Authority and the Antiquities Authority.  A few vehicles and pedestrians go through the checkpoint. 

We stopped at the Dotan checkpoint.  There were no soldiers at the checkpoint but a command car stood at the side of the road observing the checkpoint.

Reihan Barta'a Checkpoint – 08:00– Pedestrian traffic from the West Bank to the seamline zone is crossing in an orderly manner, and there are very few people crossing.

We brought A's father to the hospital.  He explained that despite the fact that they brought a letter from the hospital explaining that the child was hospitalized for a lengthy period of time the parents have not been able to obtain permits for more than one month at a time.  Consequently, the parents both have to travel to the Liaison and Coordination Administration to receive permits in addition to their frequent trips to the hospital and back. 

Translated by Ilil Naveh-Benjamin

7:00-8:45

At 6:20, S.A., our informant, reports by phone that approximately 200-300 people are waiting at the terminal in the Reihan checkpoint.  We call Sharon.  He knows about it and is taking care of the problem.

7:00 Shaked/Tura

The checkpoint was already open on the seam zone side when we arrived, and has just been opened for those waiting on the other side, about twenty people. By 7:20 everyone has gone through: the well-dressed banker has crossed to the West Bank, and the goats and labourers, to the seam zone.

One of the laborers is a Tura resident whose house is familiar to all of us, right across the fence.  He works in the industrial park near Shaked, about a five-minute drive from his home, but he must go each time through the Reihan checkpoint instead of the Tura checkpoint. This morning, growing weary of the long lines at Reihan (mentioned above), he remembered he had a special permit to cross at Tura for two days, thanks to a wedding in the seam zone.  So he returned to his village, went through Tura, and made it to work on time.  These daily trips to work through Reihan cost him 600 shekels a month.  How much time he wastes doing this we couldn’t estimate since he was in a hurry to leave.  He had time only to tell us that all his pleas to cross at the checkpoint near him home (the Life fabric checkpoint) were refused.

At 7:35 we passed by the Reihan checkpoint and saw the terminal was empty. We continued to the Dotan checkpoint.

7:40 Mevo-Dotan

The checkpoint is manned, but movement is brisk, without delays.  A female driver in an Israeli car stops and asks if we need help.  She’s lived in Mevo Dotan for 20 years, she says.  She works in a kitchen at the Reihan checkpoint and has never heard of Machsom Watch.  She tells us of her difficult life in this hostile environment (“they blind us at night with their cars, driving 160 kmh and running us off the road.  They’ve also thrown stones at my son’s car.”) But she doesn’t intend to leave.  “The soldiers are like my own sons,” she says, adding that she often pampers them with cake.  Meanwhile, three soldiers approach us, one of them with long blond sideburns (pe’ot).  “Do you want to take my place?” He asks us, offering up his helmet and rifle. “You hate your own people.” He doesn’t listen to our answer and leaves.

8:00 Reihan/Barta’a

The parking lot on the Palestinian side is filling up.  Most of the trucks and jeeps we saw on our way to Mavo Dotan have already gone in for examination.  People go into the terminal with no delays.