Barta’a-Reihan, Tura-Shaked, Sun 25.8.13, Morning
Translation: Yael Bassis-Stusent
07:00 – 08:10 Tura – Shaked checkpoint
We stayed longer than usual. Shouting and arguing were heard from the Tura side of the checkpoint. It was hard to understand what was going on. Only when people came out we were told that there was pushing and struggling at the line. One even showed us marks from the pushing. We also heard the shouting of women who were runing towards the single house at the end of an area which is a part of Tura, where they own olives groves, an area which can be reached without going through the checkpoint. The soldiers at first did not understand that but later all was sorted out. Older school children go through the sleeve but are not stopped for inspection. One teacher from Tura had crossed over into the Seam Line zone and is now waiting for transportation. She teaches first and fourth grade. There is no work at Tura, but at Barta'a there is. Every day she crosses over and waits for transportation. It appears that today she'd be late for work.
By 08:00 there was quiet. All had gone through.
On our way to the Barta'a checkpoint we picked up two hitchhikers. One was on his way to the Rihan settlement and the other to Barta'a. The Israeli said that he lived in what "you call a terror settlement". We did not argue. The Palestinian, who appeared to be the Israeli's friend, said that Rihan was built on Palestinian land, but "Why is it important? This land belongs to us all. We all sons of Abraham, our forefather. And we ought to live together. To eat, drink and be friends." He lives in Tura and own a small grocery store in Barta'a.
08:25 Ya'abed-Dotan checkpoint
The yellow metal arm of the gate blocks the side entrance to ya'abed. In a short distance from there a Jeep hides in the trees, in case someone might throw stones? The checkpoint appears vacant. S. the Beduin gallops through the checkpoint in his vehicle. He tells us that soldiers arrive only at o8:30. And sure enough at that exact time two soldiers did show up. Apparently they came out of the pillbox. Even at this time they hardly stopped any vehicle that came from the direction of Ya'abed. Only one cab stopped for a few minutes.
We left.
08:40 Barta'a checkpoint
Earlier we saw about 9 cars loaded with goods awaiting inspection. When we returned and drove by, there were 10 cars in line . On the way to the inspection post there is a bulldozer digging, apparently for renovation of the sewage line. We are here to stay!
The lower car park is full. Passage at the terminal is swift. A group of workers in black shirts that we'd watched coming down are at the end of the exit sleeve by the time we've parked at the upper car park.
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).
-
Tura-Shaked
See all reports for this place-
Tura-Shaked
This is a fabric of life* checkpoint through which pedestrians, cabs and private cars (since 2008) pass to and from the West Bank and the Seam-line Zone to and from the industrical zone near the settler-colony Shaked, schools and kindergartens, and Jenin university campuses. The checkpoint is located between Tura village inside the West Bank and the village of Dahar Al Malah inside the enclave of the Seam-line Zone. It is opened twice a day, between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m., and from 12 noon to 7 p.m. People crossing it (at times even kindergarten children) are inspected in a bungalow with a magnometer. Names of those allowed to cross it appear in a list held by the soldiers. Usually traffic here is scant.
- fabric of life roads and checkpoints, as defined by the Terminals Authority in the Ministry of Defense (fabric of life is a laundered name that does not actually describe any kind of humanitarian purpose) are intended for Palestinians only. These roads and checkpoints have been built on lands appropriated from their Palestinian owners, including tunnels, bypass roads, and tracks passing under bridges. Thus traffic can flow between the West Bank and its separated parts that are not in any kind of territorial contiguity with it. Mostly there are no permanent checkpoint on these roads but rather ‘flying’ checkpoints, check-posts or surprise barriers. At Toura, a small (less than one dunam) and sleepy checkpoint has been established, which has filled up with the years with nearly .every means of supervision and surveillance that the Israeli military occupation has produced. (February 2020)
Mar-21-2022Anin Checkpoint: A magnificent breach in the center of the checkpoint
-
