Back to reports search page

‘Anin, Barta’a-Reihan, Mon 12.8.13, Morning

Observers: Leah R., Ana N.S. Translation: Yael Bassis-Student
Aug-12-2013
| Morning
06:10 A'aneen agricultural checkpoint   
On the road leading to the checkpoint we are surprised to find no people coming or going through it. The checkpoint is in fact open and there are about 10 soldiers there, including the armed one who stands by the concrete block located at the center of the checkpoint, his gun is pointed in the direction of the village. At his side stands the "Hummer" with its noisy engine running (this throughout the entire shift)  An exceptionally large group of soldiers is placed at the far lower side of the checkpoint; are they busy overlapping with the new soldiers on the site?
Passage begins at 06:15. This is when the first resident comes out.
In general the passage is very slow. Bags are inspected on the ground instead of in a more respectful  fashion, on a table. Inspectors ask nosy questions regarding a tooth brush found in one of the bags. Questions are asked regarding quantities and quality of clothing. Bags that appear too full are not allowed through. This is while the DCO person is on site. Most of those crossing over are young people. There are also a few fathers with their children. We hardly saw any women nor did we see adults or elderly people.
 
07:00  We leave. There are still about 20 people in the process of passing.
 
07:10  Barta'a-Rihan checkpoint   
The car park is almost full. Taxis arrive and passengers walk immediately into the terminal. A few minutes later we watch them coming out at the upper entrance. Five pickup trucks are called to go up for inspection.
The W.C.s are filthy as always. Water on the floor, no toilet paper.
Workers wait on the road to be picked up to work, there is bench for them nor there is  a shaded area. There is cooler for drinking water.
Above the playground by the taxi station there is a rag hanging, apparently as shade for the children. There are no children around.
 
07:30   We leave

  • 'Anin checkpoint (214)

    See all reports for this place

    • '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.

  • Barta’a-Reihan Checkpoint

    See all reports for this place
    • 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).

Donate
A MachsomWatch volunteer sits in conversation with a Palestinian man in the South Hebron Hills.

We can't promise to stop the violence.

We can promise to keep showing up.

Donate Now