Barta’a-Reihan, Jalama
15:30 – Jalameh Checkpoint (See Photo)
We brought a girl and two adults who escorted her from Rambam Hospital in Haifa. There is a long line of cars from the West Bank coming into Israel. Some of the cars pass through the fast lane, while others are sent to be checked. People are waiting next to the inspection point, and it takes about ten minutes for each vehicle to be checked.
We met several of the security guards and asked them why there was such a long line of vehicles waiting. We asked what determines which cars are sent to be checked and which are not, and they explained that it had to do with security issues that they were not allowed to talk about. We also saw a truck that began to cross and was sent back. We were told that they were waiting for a permit from the Palestinian side because the forklifts that were to unload it were waiting there. The guard told us that they take the Palestinians into consideration and that there were good relations on both sides of the checkpoint. The extra lane that is designated for trucks is already closed for the day. There are renovations going on at the checkpoint, which account for the delays. The area around the checkpoint is clean and well-kept. Workers who crossed came through quickly.
The guards asked us to leave at this point because they had work to do and were obligated to stand with us as long as we remained.
17:00 – Reihan – Barta'a Checkpoint
We drove to the parking lot, which was blocked and there were not parking spaces left. There were two windows operating at the checkpoint and a line was forming next to the inspection point that we saw. We called Ron, the second in command at the checkpoint, who said he would attend to the matter.
We left at 17:20.
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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