‘Anin, Barta’a-Reihan, Jalama
12:30 We pick up two women following a treatment at the Rambam hospital and drive them to Jalama checkpoint.
13:30 – Jalama checkpoint.
At this time the site appears deserted. The security personnel seem unhappy with our presence. Despite that one of them agrees to explain a few things. Adults who are permitted to cross without DCO permits can also go through the Barta'a checkpoint. One of those crossing the gate is an Israeli Orthodox Jew who, due to this year of "Shmeetah" (fallow year), has purchase vegetables in large quantities from a Palestinian. He says there is collaboration with Palestinians in many other areas.
A large group of young women with small children, as well as adult man and women, return from visiting prisoners in jail. A sad sight.
14:15 We leave.
14:50 Anin checkpoint
The checkpoint is due to open at 15:00. At 15:15 we call the DCO to inquire and soldiers arrive at 15:45.
In the meantime we speak with people who are waiting there. M. tells us of the good life prior to the checkpoints. He made a good living and also said that most of the people at the village can't get passage permits to cultivate their lands. They live poor lives on Pita bread, olive oil, za'atar, and olives.
When Rachel asks why the delay, a female soldiers barks :"Don't answer them".
15:05 Tura checkpoint
Empty and unnecessary.
16:20 Barta'a checkpoint
Many people return home from work. They greet us and cross without delays. B. asks for help; how come he and his friends, all devoted veteran workers, are still being delayed at the checkpoint
17:30 We leave.
Ex-territory with a language, habits and special conception of time for inferior human beings.
If one day someone would write a dictionary of the checkpoints, the book would be slim. Very slim. Most of the words are in a command form: Get out of here, Go, No, Go to the DCO. Open. Close. This dictionary has no polite words. No word of forgiveness, no apologies. Should a soldier apologize for being an hour late in opening the gate? Has anyone heard a soldier address an old Palestinian as "Sir?" (Sound like a joke). We, "the Watchers," are also subjected to the checkpoint's style of talking.
'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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Jalama
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North of Jenin, on the Green Line between Israel and the West Bank. A big terminal for the passage of Palestinians with permits allowing entrance into Israel and goods into Israel operates there. In the course of 2009 the terminal was opened for the passage of Israeli Arabic citizens into the West Bank. Since October 2009 they may pass in their cars.
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