Barta’a-Reihan, Tayba-Rummana
Barta’a Reichan
A massive number of cars, and of people: the Barta’a checkpoint is crowded and congested this morning. At the entry to the terminal from the Palestinian car-park there is a line of 250 or more people. It takes us a few minutes to understand why the line progresses almost without pause, in a winding path, and not the usual pushing and loud shouting. As Leah has already reported, someone has appointed himself a traffic attendant in the morning. He is Ayad (in a white sweater), and he used to be the head of the Aqraba village council; he is a large man and also a big building contractor, who can afford to start his day’s work at 07:00. For about a week already, from five in the morning until seven, he has established order here, with good humor but with determination. This is an entirely private initiative. The security guards don’t speak to him and, for better or worse, he doesn’t wait to receive any response from them. When it rains he transfers the people who are waiting (mostly young) to the shed and from there they move in a winding path to the gate which leads to the turnstile. It’s a quiet morning, no one is pushing, the turnstile doesn’t close, except for a few minutes when an army vehicle passes on the inside road. Within 15 minutes the line evaporates. Regardless of the occupation – it’s good to see people who take the initiative.
Anin Checkpoint
The olive harvest has ended and as of today the normal opening hours return: passage through the checkpoint is on two days a week. People go through at a constant rate and relatively quickly. We don’t see anyone being turned back and that’s only because everyone who arrives shows a valid permit. All the others who would like to pass through to their lands or their families but have no permits have stayed at home.
In the photographs : Let there be light
eta and Rocheleh and an Anin inhabitant: “suddenly, from one day to the next, I am forbidden to cross at Jalama.”
Tayba-Rummana checkpoint
The soldiers arrive five minutes ahead time; they perform their inspections near the distant gate, far from us. About 25 people and 3 tractors pass through. The inspection is quick with only a glance at their IDs.
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).
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Tayba-Rummana
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Tayba-Rummana is an agricultural checkpoint. It is located in the separation fence in front of the eastern slopes of the Israeli city of Umm al-Fahm. The Palestinian villages next to the checkpoint are Khirbet Tayba and Rummana. Dozens of dunams of olive groves were removed from their owners, the residents of these villages on the western side of the separation fence. The Palestinian villages next to the checkpoint are Khirbet Tayba and Rumna. Dozens of olives dunams were removed from these villages' residents and swallowed up in a narrow strip of space, on the western side of the separation fence. The checkpoint allows the plantation owners who have permits to pass. Twice a week, the checkpoint opens for fifteen minutes in the morning and evening. During the harvest season, it opens every day for fifteen minutes in the morning (around 0630) and fifteen minutes in the afternoon (around 1530). (February 2020).
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