Eyal Crossing
Not exactly a report: I transported a family – a mother, her son, and her daughter, inhabitants of Azzun, from Rambam hospital to Eyal checkpoint. I have transported patients a number of times to this checkpoint, but in the early afternoon, when there wasn’t traffic of workers returning home to the West Bank. Today I arrived after 3 o’clock and there was already quite a lot of movement. I remained to watch for a while.
15.20-16.00 Eyal checkpoint
Minibuses arrive at the Israeli parking lot. Workers quickly alight and stride along the marked path towards the turnstile at the side of the terminal. One of those responsible, on behalf of the Ministry of Defense and/or a security company, approaches me and politely asks me what I am doing, asks me not to pass the turnstile or to photograph. (I do not understand why the army allows photography and the checkpoints authority – apparently civilian – forbids it.) In answer to my question, I am told that about 8000 people pass daily in each direction – more on Sundays because some have permits allowing them to stay overnight in Israel. These people return to the West Bank on Thursday. Next to the turnstile is a red notice with letters in white: Checkpoint to Qalqiliya and Area A., with the symbol of the Checkpoints Authority. Beyond the turnstile are posts for checking permits, but no one I saw seemed to require one.
More minibuses and cars continue to arrive and people go to the turnstile. There is no pressure and no queues. A few call out loudly, in Arabic, “No to checkpoints!” reading from the label I am wearing. I am greeted in three languages – Arabic, Hebrew, and English. Among those passing, I saw only three women.
Eyal Checkpoint / Crossing
See all reports for this place-
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.
-