‘Anabta, Irtah, Wed 22.4.09, Morning
6.45 Irtah
We set out for a "normal" shift, but we began it at Irtah. This is an hour when the area should be relatively empty but all the possible parking places along the road were taken and it was obvious that the morning would be awful. The lane at the entrance was packed. Hundreds of angry workers worried and upset at the idea of losing a day of work. I could not make an estimate of the time but while we were there the turnstile opened each time to allow about 18-19 people through and then closed for half a minute and again opened for the same amount. The sight was awful, the pressure was every hard on the people and many shouted to us that we were standing there and not doing anything.
After about half an hour to the other side of the checkpoint and met workers who had lost their day of work ("the boss hasn't waited for me"). Also when they wanted to come back they had to wait for someone to turn the turnstile in the other direction and let them though. Those exiting were bitter and stopped to describe to us the long time and the long way which they had to make so as to manage a day of work. They told us that inside only two checking posts were working.
7.45 Anabta. On the booth of the soldiers we found the "thank you" sign of the women in blue and white. When we said that this was against the law the soldiers said that they had not put it up and had found it there The work in the area is continuing and the area being straightened looks as if a circle is being made.
The cars pass mainly without being checked. There is a continuous arrival of cars and each time there is a delay of one or two minutes, a line of 5-10 cars forms. One of the soldier says "Good that you have come. You help us to pass the time." Evidently he is bored. They want to speak to us and all are convinced that they are defending our lives.
'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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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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