‘Anin, Barta’a-Reihan
Reihan Barta'a Checkpoint
The number of people crossing at this checkpoint is constantly growing, but the operation of the checkpoint does not keep up with it. We heard many complaints this morning about the crowded conditions and the line in front of the turnstile, and the person in charge responded, "It's like this every day." People are angry that the second turnstile, which was originally intended for people crossing towards the West Bank, is not in operation. These are mostly workers who are returning to the West Bank after working the night shift in the seamline zone and this turnstile is not usually working.
Five people pass through, the turnstile is locked again for several minutes and then five more are let in. The line grows longer and longer as more people arrive. The young people push and shove and the older people wait on the side avoiding being pushed. A few women wait quietly next to the turnstile until they are noticed and they are let inside. Many people have been waiting there since 04:00 to get a place on the line, as we were told. Someone took a video of the commotion and agreed to give it toi us. A young man then arrived and refused to let the man give us the video. He was angry that he was talking to us at all.
There is a steady flow of people who have crossed through the terminal walking up the sleeve. Many of them buy a cup of coffee at the kiosk belonging to the settlers and hurry up to the parking lot to their rides. There is a lot of disorder in the parking lot with cars coming and going in all directions. Groups of people stand around everywhere. Despite this, the drivers are calm and no one is honking or cursing.
When we stood in the doorway of the terminal, a guard came and told us not to take pictures. He showed us the solution to the overcrowding in the morning: five windows are operating, as opposed to the usual two. While we were there, one of the windows closed. We asked him to begin using the second turnstile but he was opposed to the idea. It is only intended for people who are entering the West Bank. A bit of flexibility would improve the occupation considerably. On the other hand, if the occupation is tolerable, it will never end.
07:00 – A'anin Agricultural Checkpoint
The olive harvest is coming to an end. We can tell by the number of people who are crossing. About 50 people cross from the village of A'anin to the seamline zone, including a few women. A 19-year-old man asked for our help in obtaining a permit to cross to Barta'a, where he wants to work in a car repair shop. We gave him Tami S.'s phone number. Mahmud crosses the checkpoint to us only to take clothing that we have brought. Before he returns to the village on his tractor, he stops to talk to us. He is not in a hurry today because he has finished harvesting his olives. We learned that he sells the old furniture and junk that he collects for NIS 1.70 per kilogram.
8.00 Taibe Romana Agricultural Checkpoint
The Liaison and Coordination Administration vehicle arrived at the checkpoint ahead of time, but the soldiers were 20 minutes late. Within 15 minutes, all 27 people who had permits to cross through this checkpoint had crossed. A policewoman handled all the procedures without delay.
'Anin checkpoint (214)
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'Anin checkpoint (214)
'Anin checkpoint is located on the Separation Fence east of the Israeli community Mei Ami and close to the village of Anin in the West Bank. It is opened twice a week, morning and afternoon, on days with shorter light time, for Anin farmers whose olive groves have been separated from the village by the fence it became difficult to cultivate their land. Transit permits are only issued to those who can produce ownership documents for their caged-in land, and sometimes only to the head of the family or his widow, eldest son, and children. Sometimes the inheritors lose their right to tend to the family’s land. The permits are eked out and are re-issued only with difficulty. 55-year-old persons may cross the checkpoint (into Israel) without special permits. During the olive harvest season (about one month around October) the checkpoint is open daily and more transit permits are issued. Names of persons eligible to cross are held in the soldiers’ computers. In July 2007, a sweeping instruction was issued, stating that whoever does not return to the village through this checkpoint in the afternoon will be stripped of his transit permit when he shows up there next time. Since 2019, the checkpoint has not been allways locked with the seam-line zone gate (1 of 3 gates), and the fence around it has been broken in several sites.
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Barta’a-Reihan Checkpoint
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This checkpoint is located on the Separation Fence route, east of the Palestinian town of East Barta’a. The latter is the largest Palestinian community inside the seam-line zone (Barta’a Enclave) in the northern West Bank. Western Barta’a, inside Israel, is adjacent to it. The Checkpoint is open all week from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Since mid-May 2007, the checkpoint has been managed by a civilian security company subordinate to the Ministry of Defense. People permitted to cross through this checkpoint into and from the West Bank are residents of Palestinian communities inside the Barta’a Enclave as well as West Bank Palestinian residents holding transit permit. Jewish settlers from Hermesh and Mevo Dotan cross here without inspection. A large, modern terminal is active here with 8 windows for document inspection and biometric tests (eyes and fingerprints). Usually only one or two of the 8 windows are in operation. Goods, up to medium commercial size, may pass here from the West Bank into the Barta’a Enclave. A permanent registered group of drives who have been approved by the may pass with farm produce. When the administration of the checkpoint was turned over to a civilian security firm, the Ya’abad-Mevo Dotan Junction became a permanent checkpoint. . It is manned by soldiers who sit in the watchtower and come down at random to inspect vehicles and passengers (February 2020).
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