‘Anabta, Ar-Ras, Eyal, Irtah, Sun 30.12.07, Morning
7.00 Eyal passage.
More than 100 people in the line and there is great activity with the workers who just got through and the contractors waiting to pick them up. When we try to see how many are in the line an army jeep rushes up to us with the usual claim that we are not allowed to approach to the fence. (Is this legal? Do we have to go when they tell us to?)
Naomi complains about the delay and that the work is not carried out properly, that the posts are not manned. When we ask why there is still a line which should have ended at this hour the DCO captain says that he is not responsible for what happens at the checkpoint and passed on the complaint to his friends at the passage itself. They remind us about the soldiers who were killed two days ago, hikers from Kiryat Arba and that is why they are carrying out a careful inspection and maybe to hint that our complaint about their efficiency is detached from reality.
When we go back to the area next to the passage people tell us that at some stage the computer packed up and therefore there has been a delay.
Irtah crossing. Empty. Everyone has gone through. It opened at 4.00. No delays. The attack at Halhul has not caused any special orders. The prisoners' bus is about to leave.
7.50 The childrens' gate next to the checkpoint of Ar-Ras. The picture that we see is that the gate is empty and that one man with his packages of clothes is kneeling on the ground tearing the nylon so as to show his clothes one by one while the soldiers stand over him with drawn rifles. We stop the car and watch without saying a word. To our surprise one of the soldiers comes up to us and explains in detail what they are doing. An illegal workers returning to his land and his home. They can do nothing against him but to harass him a little and then he will be sent home. Naomi wants to give whole nylon bags to the soldier so that the man will be able to put his clothes back in them after the checking. The soldier takes them and gives them to the man.
8.00 Checkpoint Ar-Ras. Open and no limitations and no special orders.
8.30 Anabta open and no limitations.
9.30
We leave.
'Anabta CP
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'Anabta CP The checkpoint is located south of the village of 'Anabta, at the intersection of Road 60 (leading to Nablus at the entrance to Area A), with Road (57, 557, 5576) facing west towards the Einav settlement and the checkpoint at the exit from the West Bank - Figs checkpoint. Until 2010 we used to watch the intersection and report the long columns created due to a slow inspection of the vehicles in both directions.
Oct-28-2011Anabta checkpoint 24.10.11
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A-Ras (The Children Checkpoint)
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A-Ras (The Children Checkpoint)
On Tulkarm-Qalqiliya road (574), east of Hirbet Jubara. tia checkpoint is dedicated to residents traveling to and from Tulkarm, so they should not cross apartheid road 557 (only permissible for settlers).
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Eyal Checkpoint / Crossing
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Eyal Checkpoint is intended for pedestrians and Palestinians only. This is the main barrier for workers to cross from the center of the West Bank. Workers with a work permit to enter Israel can pass through it for trade, medicine, and visiting prisoners. The checkpoint was built on the Green Line north of Qalqilya in the separation barrier that surrounds the city. The checkpoint began operating in 2004 by the military. Opening hours on weekdays from 04:00 to 19:00. We started holding shifts there in 2007. We arrived at the checkpoint before it opened at 4 in the morning. We reported on the difficult conditions and the long and cramped queues of workers who must continue their journey by commuting to work throughout Israel. At the end of June 2009, the checkpoint was operated by a civil security company, The transit time has been gradually shortened, today it is faster, but the Palestinians still have to arrive very early to make it to the transportation. Usually, about 15,000 people pass through.
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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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