Barta’a 11/7/2004 Watchers: Rachel H., Hasida S. (Reporting) [Note worthy is the cleanliness of the Guy Iron gas station; it is spotless.]We arrive at the CP at 8:30. Two men at the west side are waiting to cross east; they have been waiting since 7:00. Their IDs have been taken to be checked. One of them claims that he lives in Nablus, but has a store in East Barta’a. He does not have a permit. It seems that he was caught without a permit once, and his permit has not been renewed since. He says that he passed west through Jerusalem and wants to return to Nablus. His papers are being checked for a long time. Both men pass through at approximately 10:00.Likewise, a young woman and a boy are waiting to cross. Their papers are being checked as well. We did not see whether or when the boy passed. The woman crossed at 11:00. Generally those with permits pass through with no problems or delays. Only a few vehicles and pedestrians pass from east to west. With permits, all pass smoothly and without delays.At 10:00, both sides of the CP close, due to a possible shooting alert. The commander and a few soldiers scout the area; the CP opens again approximately half an hour later. During the CP closure, a line of car builds up at the east side of the CP. Upon reopening, two rows are open for car checking, and traffic moves through smoothly.A problem occurs: An elderly man with hearing and seeing difficulties arrives at the CP. He is accompanied by a young man with Palestinian ID certifying him to aid people in need of medical treatment. The elderly man has an ID from the Palestinian Deaf Union. He says that he always passes to Barta’a and even to Haifa or Tel Aviv for his medical services (He is a resident of the neighboring village Yabed.) Neither has a permit, and neither is permitted to cross. We attempt to explain to the men that they must acquire permits, but to no avail. I phone Physicians for Human Rights, who say that they will try to help. But after checking they explain to the two men in Arabic that the men must go to the DCO to arrange for permits, rather than to rely on the soldiers’ compassion every time. The two men claim that the DCO has turned them down time and again. I provide them with the phone number of the Humanitarian Center in case they are encountered with difficulties by the DCO. I write down the names of both men.Another case involves an East Barta’a resident whose wife is an Israeli West Barta’a resident. We have encountered several such cases. The man says that he has applied for Israeli Citizenship, handled by an attorney in Netanya. The process has been dragging on forever. [In my few weeks as a MachsomWatch observer, I have encountered several such cases. I do not believe these people will ever receive their Israeli citizenship; it is a political problem.] Another typical scene: A pickup truck with five cases of onions passes for a second time since we arrived. The soldier mentions to us that the pickup truck has passed for the third time, since only five cases of merchandise can be passed at one time.It is important to note again that the Palestinian residents praise the soldiers currently working the CP.We leave at 11:00.