‘Anabta, Deir Sharaf, Irtah (Sha’ar Efrayim), Mon 21.12.09, Afternoon
6.25
Agricultural gate (193)
The gates are locked and between the fences there is a large shielded army vehicle. A jeep arrives and the soldiers open the gates. The workers pass through immediately without being checked by the magnetometer. The Palestinians greet us claiming that today thanks to us the passage is quick. The soldiers are getting organized and start using the magnetometer, which, of course, makes the passage slower. A Palestinian tries to bring through a tool which is used for cutting stone and which he needs for work in his plant nursery. The soldiers refuse. Nina speaks with the district coordinator, but he also thinks that this tool is unnecessary for work in a plant nursery. However, he will check, since Nina asks him to do so. In the meantime the Palestinian gives up and sends the tool back to his village. People tell us that lately they have not been allowed to bring bicycles, which makes things harder for them.
7.05
Ras Atiya
The gate is open and there are no lines in either direction. Our guest, who has been to Tzavta watching the movie about the construction of the fence and the new road in the area, finds it hard to understand the logic of what is going on. We tell her that neither do we understand.
7.20
The Eliyahu Gate
There are still workers waiting to be let through.
Azzun is open. "Shevut Ami" seems abandoned, and we drive on to the Barrel Checkpoint and from there to Anabta.
8.05
Anabta – There are many vehicles, 2 coffee vendors and a small kiosk cart at the junction. We do not stop to find out the reason for the commotion but continue towards the abandoned checkpoint. We do not see any soldiers and the passage is free. I believe that this checkpoint with all its roads, its traffic lights and marking lines might serve as a monument of wasted money and stupidity.
We return to the Jit junction to drive on to Huwwara.
'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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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.
Nina SebaFeb-28-2024Deir Sharaf - the entrance to the village
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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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