Aanin, Shaked, Rihan, Jalame, Monday, 18.12.06 AMObservers: Anna NS, Netta G (reporting)06:30 – 11:40,hr>06:30 Aanin Checkpoint – People are passing. They tell us that the checkpoint will be open every day until 1.1.07. A farmer tells us that pruning has started.A man with a permit valid until 20.12 asks our help in getting an extension.According to one of the soldiers, a hundred people have passed this morning.07:10 Shaked (Tura) Checkpoint – The opening hours have been changed since yesterday. Now they are: 07:00 – 12:00, 16:00 – 18:30. People can cross in their cars if the plate numbers appear on their permits. The checkpoint is also open at those hours on Friday and Saturday. Those entitled to pass here are residents of Seam Zone villages Um el-Rihan and Dahar el-Malch, and the small villages near the checkpoint, and from the other side residents of Tura, Arka and other who have permits for Gate 300.During the hour we are there, one taxi and one private car went through. A taxi and two other cars were not allowed. Their owners asked to travel to the DCO to get the car license number listed in the permit. The well-dressed teacher was also not allowed to pass in his car.People tell us that they can now get to Jenin quickly, and are saved the circuit through Rihan Checkpoint.08:20 Rihan Checkpoint – Light pedestrian traffic at this hour. Few vehicles in the Palestinian parking lot. No commercial goods on Monday.A merchant from Jenin, who sells brand name fashions from Israel, is waiting for an Israeli supplier to bring him samples. He does not have a permit for the Seam Zone, and the supplier is not allowed to go down to the Palestinian parking lot. Eventually the merchant from Jenin is allowed to go on foot to the upper vehicle lot to examine the samples.10:10 – 11:10 Jalameh Checkpoint, commodities crossing.We have not visited this checkpoint for quite a while. Meanwhile a proper parking lot has been organised, with an improvised restaurant operated by a resident of Kubeila.Perhaps ten trucks, loaded with vegetables, are waiting in the lot for entry to the back-to-back. Another ten trucks can be seen at this hour on the Israeli side of the lot. Tacked on to the guard’s hut at the entrance are procedural details: drivers are called by turn and the call is conditional upon the arrival of the appropriate Palestinian vehicle. On the hut is a sticker: “Israel is Strong, We Will Win.” Operating hours 08:00 – 17:00. On Fridays entry to the plot is until 12:00.The guard calls the installation manager, Ronen, who tells us that since June the place has been operated by Mikud, a civilian company, which is also responsible for its security. To coordinate a tour of the place, we must apply to the Coordinator of Activities in the Territories. Ronen tells us that operation of the pedestrian crossing will also be transferred to a civilian company, but they are considering closing it because of the paucity of transients.We are in the restaurant, and one of the drivers eating there complained about the waiting time and attitude. The Palestinian truck that he was waiting for had not yet arrived. He and his comrade are transferring vegetables from the West Bank to Israel.11:00 Jalame Checkpoint, pedestrian crossingIndividuals passing at this hour. One station is open and two reservists are standing guard. One of them says that there was pressure in the morning, the military police behave properly, but it’s a pity that they don’t add manpower to open another station. He says that 200-300 people cross on mornings that there are no prison visits.I., the military policeman responsible for the place, gives us a detailed explanation of the function of the place (and even shows us from the overhead bridge). He would also be happy if he could operate another station during the morning hours. The only sleeve open into the big building is the one that allows transit through a gate without turnstile for people in wheelchairs or those with particularly large packages. Usually people cross only with bags, but sometimes there are tourists with suitcases. In place of a gate, a magnometer to check people and an x-ray machine for checking baggage. I. also says that that usually 300 people pass in the morning – workers, traders and humanitarian cases. The checkpoint is open until 19:00. People who come later, up to midnight, can pass through the gate that previously served as the vehicle checkpoint. Urgent cases can pass the checkpoint at night after coordination.I has also heard that Jalame Checkpoint might be closed. He says that if that will be the case, apparently some of the people will pass Bazak Checkpoint and others at Rihan.11:40 – we leave.