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Irtah (Sha’ar Efrayim), Te’enim Crossing, Sun 19.8.12, Morning

Observers: Leora Shamir, Annelien Kisch (reporting)
Aug-19-2012
| Morning
04:00    We were perfect on time and could at first not understand the total silence and desertion we met at the area around and in the terminal, until it dawned on us that “Id el Fitr” was still “on” which meant a complete closure of this entrance to Israel.  
We got out of the car and enjoyed for a few moments this unusual phenomenon of almost poetic stillness.   But…. lo and behold, if anyone was worried we took great risks walking around this deserted place.  Big Brother kept his protective eye on us and a guardian angel in the shape of an hummer approached us almost immediately. What a good feeling that the four IDF-“passengers” of this vehicle  – surely worrying about our safety –  kept following us as far as the “Te’enim” crossing where we wanted to inquire about the well-being of those Palestinians who did want to enter Israel.   When we got out of our car there too, we were questioned about the nature of our visit.  Machsom Watch did not mean anything to them….     
”We observe and report about what we see at…. what do we call this….border?… and sometimes question the usefulness of these checkpoints”—— “Can  you understand why you are being checked at the supermarket, at the airport?”——-“Ah, sure, supermarket, that’s where we are, I forgot……”——–
The girl-soldier at the crossing felt very sorry for the soldiers who had to cope these days with the much busier traffic than normal. She though, loved her task there and would like to do this work as a steady job: “Only very special cases can pass here during “Id el Fitr”, no work-permits or stam permits are being given”….
Hag Sameach

  • 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.  
  • Te'enim Crossing

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    • Te'enim Crossing The Figs checkpoint, located on Road 557, east of the Green Line and the Ephraim Checkpoint  (Road 444), is a vehicle crossing, open 24/7 all year round. It serves the Israeli population, including those authorized to enter the Palestinian Authority. The passage of foreigners holding international passports recognized by the State of Israel is approved. In exceptional cases will the passage of a Palestinian be allowed here.  
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