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Deir Sharaf, Irtah (Sha’ar Efrayim), Tue 12.5.09, Morning

Observers: Natali, Ruth C. (reporting); Translating: Judith Green
May-12-2009
| Morning

7:20 – 8:15

On our way to the checkpoint, we decided to go through Irtah as industrious Tziona has been there since 4 AM and she will instruct us where to stand and catch us up on all the problems there. Since Natali could not come early, we decided that on any day when there is not a morning shift we will go to Irtah.

Later on, at the Deir Sharaf checkpoint, the officer, as usual, requested that we move behind the cement barrier; we remain standing. Cars are inspected going in the direction of Nablus, but there is hardly any inspection at the exit. The soldier moves us again, and we inform him that we will be leaving soon. During our whole shift, the traffic was light and moving almost freely.

  • Deir Sharaf checkpoint

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    • Deir Sharaf checkpoint is located west of Nablus and south of the settlement of Shavei Shomron, at the entrance to the village of Deir Sharaf on the road leading to Nablus. The checkpoint was activated in early March 2009 after the Beit Iba checkpoint was closed. Palestinians are allowed through the checkpoint , but not for Israelis. Unlike the checkpoints leading to Qalqilya and Tulkarm, crossing of Israeli Palestinians is only allowed on Saturdays.

      דיר שאראף - הכניסה לכפר
      Nina Seba
      Feb-28-2024
      Deir Sharaf - the entrance to the village
  • Irtah (Sha'ar Efrayim)

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    • The checkpoint is for Palestinians only. It is the main barrier to the passage of workers from the northern West Bank to Israel. Workers with a permit to work in Israel and also for trade (with appropriate permissions), medicine, and visiting prisoners. One can cross the checkpoint only on foot. The checkpoint is located north of Road 557 and south of Tulkarm. Operated by a civil security company, opening hours: between 4:00 and 19:00 on weekdays. As members of Machsom Watch, we began our shifts to this location in 2007. We arrived before it opened at 4 in the morning and report since, on the harsh conditions and the long and crowded queues of workers. The workers who pass by continue their journey by transportation to work throughout Israel. In the first period of its activity, about 3,000 and then 5,000 people passed through this checkpoint every day. Due to the small number of checking points and arbitrary delays for long periods of time in the "rooms", workers feared losing their transportation. Hence workers leave their homes at 2:30 at night to be among the first. Today, 15,000 pass and the transition is faster. Workers are still leaving their homes very early to get past the checkpoint at 7 p.m. In an adjacent compound, there is a terminal for the transfer of goods on a commercial scale, using the back-to-back method.  
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