Eyal and Irtah/Sha’ar Efrayim 09.02.2011 morning
Translation: Suzanne O.
Eyal Crossing
4:15 a.m.
There are about 20 people outside; the pace of the exits is slow.
4:20 a.m.
The exit turnstile is locked, when we asked about it we were told that it would open up again immediately, after an additional 10 minutes shouts were heard from inside, we again called up via the intercom and were not answered.
We went to observe the entrance to the building on the eastern side. There was almost no queue, people moving along easily.
We stood there for almost 10 minutes, during which time some 80 people entered.
A representative of the management appeared and requested, politely, that we leave the area – back to the entrance – when we questioned the hold up he replied that there had been a security problem, when we said that the exit was barred to those who had already been inspected, he took as a petty attack on this particular building.
We would indeed have preferred that the whole occupation would end so that we would no longer have to be petty!
4:45 a.m.
The exit pace speeds up; the turnstile works continuously.
Irtah/Sha'ar Efrayim
5:15 a.m.
Hundreds are organised into rows for the silent morning prayers.
As soon as the prayers end the whole area fills up, crowded, people drinking coffee, eating, waiting for transport.
By the side of the exit the turnstile turns unceasingly, it is difficult to see how many positions are open because the entrance is full of people. The pace of the exit is much faster than at Ayal (it is also later).
5:40 a.m.
At the eastern entrance to the building there is no queue. Whoever arrives goes in.
We spoke to quite a few people – they say that the situation in the rooms has improved greatly over the last two weeks, as we understood from the reports of Rachel A. This is a result of the strike and we wanted to understand the dynamics that led to the strike.
From what we learned: on a Sunday, at the end of December, a few people got together and locked the entrance to the crossing from their side and declared that no one could cross that day – in protest at the hold ups in the rooms. All the labourers obeyed. Some returned to their homes, some contacted their friends and told them not to come at all. Some of them sat there until 10:00 a.m.
The management tried to persuade them to cross and then to talk but they were unwilling. On that day, according to them, not one person crossed to work at this crossing.
It took some time for the improvement but for the last two weeks things have changed considerably.
Others complained about the x-ray they are forced to undergo daily. Someone said that he feels very ill after each inspection and doubts that they question/complain about/call for help about the damage it causes.
We said that it is being checked out by the 'doctors for human rights' organisation.
Does anyone know if any results are known?
Eyal Checkpoint / Crossing
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Eyal Checkpoint is intended for pedestrians and Palestinians only. This is the main barrier for workers to cross from the center of the West Bank. Workers with a work permit to enter Israel can pass through it for trade, medicine, and visiting prisoners. The checkpoint was built on the Green Line north of Qalqilya in the separation barrier that surrounds the city. The checkpoint began operating in 2004 by the military. Opening hours on weekdays from 04:00 to 19:00. We started holding shifts there in 2007. We arrived at the checkpoint before it opened at 4 in the morning. We reported on the difficult conditions and the long and cramped queues of workers who must continue their journey by commuting to work throughout Israel. At the end of June 2009, the checkpoint was operated by a civil security company, The transit time has been gradually shortened, today it is faster, but the Palestinians still have to arrive very early to make it to the transportation. Usually, about 15,000 people pass through.
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Irtah (Sha'ar Efrayim)
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The checkpoint is for Palestinians only. It is the main barrier to the passage of workers from the northern West Bank to Israel. Workers with a permit to work in Israel and also for trade (with appropriate permissions), medicine, and visiting prisoners. One can cross the checkpoint only on foot. The checkpoint is located north of Road 557 and south of Tulkarm. Operated by a civil security company, opening hours: between 4:00 and 19:00 on weekdays. As members of Machsom Watch, we began our shifts to this location in 2007. We arrived before it opened at 4 in the morning and report since, on the harsh conditions and the long and crowded queues of workers. The workers who pass by continue their journey by transportation to work throughout Israel. In the first period of its activity, about 3,000 and then 5,000 people passed through this checkpoint every day. Due to the small number of checking points and arbitrary delays for long periods of time in the "rooms", workers feared losing their transportation. Hence workers leave their homes at 2:30 at night to be among the first. Today, 15,000 pass and the transition is faster. Workers are still leaving their homes very early to get past the checkpoint at 7 p.m. In an adjacent compound, there is a terminal for the transfer of goods on a commercial scale, using the back-to-back method.
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