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‘Anabta, Irtah (Sha’ar Efrayim), Te’enim Crossing, Tue 23.2.10, Morning

Place: 'Anabta CP Irtah (Sha'ar Efrayim) Te'enim Crossing
Observers: Rutti, Natali
Feb-23-2010
| Morning
Translator: Orna B.
9:30 Anabta
There are no soldiers at this passage to TulKarm.

Figs Gate
There is hardly any traffic. They are checking our ID cards and they open our car door for inspection.

10:10 Irtach
We arrived here to hear how things had been here at dawn. But those we met could not tell us.
Ususally there are masses of people at this checkpoint and it is hard to listen to a personal story, or help. But today it happened: Omar Znobar has been working in Petah Tikva for 12 years, at a bakery. The validity of his permit had expired and he applied for a new one. It has been several days now that he has been arriving here but he got no permit. Today they are telling him that his permit has been there since the 18.2.10 (he is delighted – a permit for 6 months! or so they said) but his employer  has to come here to fetch him. Yesterday he had been told that the permit is in Qalqiliya, at the Palestinian Work Office. He drove there very fast but there was nothing there. He is desperate and fears that something has gone wrong.  He does not understand why there is a different instruction every time.  We promised to remain connected by phone until this is sorted.

We left at 10:30. During the day, after many conversations with his employer, after the employer came to the checkpoint and the DCO ("The permit is in Qalqiliya, not here, you should not have come") they contacted Qalqiliya ("There are permits here but his name does not appear" ) again he went to the DCO ("Tell him to go to Qalqiliya"). Again phone calls here and there (How many calls , how much time lost , the employer/employee relations stood the test amazingly) Omar went to Qalqiliya at noon time and got his permit.

  • '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.  
      Anabta checkpoint 24.10.11
      Oct-28-2011
      Anabta checkpoint 24.10.11
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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.  

  • 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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