Barta’a-Reihan, Tura-Shaked, Ya’bed-Dotan
We saw a lot of “hummers” – armored trucks – today on the road or parked along the side, but did not find out why there were so many.
15:38 – Tura – Shaked Checkpoint
The checkpoint was open, but only a few people were crossing in both directions. Several vehicles, pedestrians, and several donkeys were on their way to Daher el Malec. There was a lot of litter on the sides of the road near the checkpoint.
On the other hand, the quiet, green landscape with flocks of birds flying overhead aroused inspiration together with delusion to sit under a tree and meditate.
We left after 15 minutes.
16:05 – Yaabed -Dotan Checkpoint
On the road leading up to the village of Kafin to the right and Yaabed Checkpoint to the left we encountered a tall pole with a Star of David hanging above a Hanukah menorah – a sign reminding people of their place in the area and who is in charge here. On the side of the road taxis were parked waiting for a bit of business from passersby. The road leading up to the checkpoint is a crowded, two-way road. We did not see any soldiers in the checkpoint itself, but the road next to the position was rough and full of potholes, forcing drivers to slow down. Cars were weaving from side to side as if trying to decide which side to drive on and turn over. This was evidently a way of forcing cars to slow down and check suspicious vehicles following the incident of shooting from a passing car that took place here. We counted a line of ten to fourteen cars waiting in the direction of Jenin and the same number going the other way. It is a dangerous and unpleasant journey that delays people after work hours. We wondered what would happen if an ambulance had to pass at this hour.
16:40 – Reihan – Barta’a Checkpoint
Many young people were returning from work and it was pleasantly surprising to see so many of them. People were crossing without delay. The kiosk inside the sleeve was closed, but our pleasure at seeing this was premature. A guard told us that today it was closed but tomorrow it would open again.
We left at 17:00.
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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Tura-Shaked
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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
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Ya'bed-Dotan
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Ya’bed-Dotan
This checkpoint is located on road 585, at the crossroads of Mevo Dotan settler-colony / Jenin/ Ya’abad. It has an army watchtower (‘pillbox’ post) and concrete blocs that slow down vehicular traffic. It was erected when Barta’a Checkpoint, lying to the west on the Separation Fence, was privatized and its operation was passed over to civilian security personnel. Since December 2009 this checkpoint enables flow of Palestinian vehicular traffic towards the Barta’a Checkpoint. Seldom is it manned by soldiers sitting in the watchtower, who conduct random inspections of vehicles and passengers. (february 2020)
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