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‘Anin, Reihan, Shaked, Thu 6.11.08, Afternoon

Tags: Crowding
Observers: Hanna E., Leah R. (reporting)
Nov-06-2008
| Afternoon
Translation: Yael Bassis-Student

15:20 – Shaked-Tura Checkpoint

All appears calm; a few cars, a few people, but someone is detained. We have no knowledge of the problem. Later that person passed.

1
5:40 – Aaneen checkpoint
There aren't many people around. Those waiting to return to Aaneen argue among themselves and the soldiers stop the inspection until they retreat. Soldiers are quick and efficient.
Among those returning are women, children, men and elderly.

On the way to Rihan-Barta'a checkpoint we're escorted by a man, a resident of Aaneen, who has a passage permit at Rihan (it is easier because of its schedule). This person is not allowed to cross over at the Aaneen checkpoint even when that gate is open. He has to travel to Aaneen from the Barta'a-Rihan checkpoint, via Jenin, which is quite costly.
All for the sake of order. Order is order.

16:30- Rihan-Barta'a checkpoint
There are many people at the sleeve going down to the terminal on the seamline zone side.
People are tired; they begin their workday at an early morning hour, at times as early as three a.m.
Inside the terminal there are only two operational  inspection booths  and after a little while, only one (a computer is down). Following several requests by us two more windows are opened.
The pressure at the time when people come home from work is well known to the terminal managers; the windows could be opened and closed as needed it'll ease life of workers and reduce the stress of the inspectors (they are also under pressure).
In addition, going through the turnstle requires the flexibility of an acrobat, especially when holding a big bag or a parcel. The turnstile stops abruptly when someone crosses to the opposite direction. It is quite dangerous and people might be hit badly.

18:45 – We leave. Hana is almost in tears from heartbreak.
  • 'Anin checkpoint (214)

    See all reports for this place

    • 'Anin checkpoint (214)
      'Anin checkpoint is located on the Separation Fence east of the Israeli community Mei Ami and close to the village of Anin in the West Bank. It is opened twice a week, morning and afternoon, on days with shorter light time, for Anin farmers whose olive groves have been separated from the village by the fence it became difficult to cultivate their land. Transit permits are only issued to those who can produce ownership documents for their caged-in land, and sometimes only to the head of the family or his widow, eldest son, and children. Sometimes the inheritors lose their right to tend to the family’s land. The permits are eked out and are re-issued only with difficulty. 55-year-old persons may cross the checkpoint (into Israel) without special permits. During the olive harvest season (about one month around October) the checkpoint is open daily and more transit permits are issued. Names of persons eligible to cross are held in the soldiers’ computers. In July 2007, a sweeping instruction was issued, stating that whoever does not return to the village through this checkpoint in the afternoon will be stripped of his transit permit when he shows up there next time. Since 2019, the checkpoint has not been allways locked with the seam-line zone gate (1 of 3 gates), and the fence around it has been broken in several sites.

  • Barta’a-Reihan Checkpoint

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    • This checkpoint is located on the Separation Fence route, east of the Palestinian town of East Barta’a. The latter is the largest Palestinian community inside the seam-line zone (Barta’a Enclave) in the northern West Bank. Western Barta’a, inside Israel, is adjacent to it. The Checkpoint is open all week from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Since mid-May 2007, the checkpoint has been managed by a civilian security company subordinate to the Ministry of Defense. People permitted to cross through this checkpoint into and from the West Bank are residents of Palestinian communities inside the Barta’a Enclave as well as West Bank Palestinian residents holding transit permit. Jewish settlers from Hermesh and Mevo Dotan cross here without inspection. A large, modern terminal is active here with 8 windows for document inspection and biometric tests (eyes and fingerprints).  Usually only one or two  of the 8 windows are in operation. Goods,  up to medium commercial size, may pass here from the West Bank into the Barta’a Enclave.  A permanent registered group of drives who have been approved by the may pass with farm produce. When the administration of the checkpoint was turned over to a civilian security firm, the Ya’abad-Mevo Dotan Junction became a permanent checkpoint. . It is manned by soldiers who sit in the watchtower and come down at random to inspect vehicles and passengers (February 2020).

  • Tura-Shaked

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    • Tura-Shaked

      This is a fabric of life* checkpoint through which pedestrians, cabs and private cars (since 2008) pass to and from the West Bank and the Seam-line Zone to and from the industrical zone near the settler-colony Shaked, schools and kindergartens, and Jenin university campuses. The checkpoint is located between Tura village inside the West Bank and the village of Dahar Al Malah inside the enclave of the Seam-line Zone.  It is opened twice a day, between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m., and from 12 noon to 7 p.m. People crossing it (at times even kindergarten children) are inspected in a bungalow with a magnometer. Names of those allowed to cross it appear in a list held by the soldiers. Usually traffic here is scant.

      • fabric of life roads and checkpoints, as defined by the Terminals Authority in the Ministry of Defense (fabric of life is a laundered name that does not actually describe any kind of humanitarian purpose) are intended for Palestinians only. These roads and checkpoints have been built on lands appropriated from their Palestinian owners, including tunnels, bypass roads, and tracks passing under bridges. Thus traffic can flow between the West Bank and its separated parts that are not in any kind of territorial contiguity with it. Mostly there are no permanent checkpoint on these roads but rather ‘flying’ checkpoints, check-posts or surprise barriers. At Toura, a small (less than one dunam) and sleepy checkpoint has been established, which has filled up with the years with nearly .every means of supervision and surveillance that the Israeli military occupation has produced. (February 2020)
      מחסום עאנין:  פרצה מפוארת במרכז המחסום
      Mar-21-2022
      Anin Checkpoint: A magnificent breach in the center of the checkpoint
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