Eyal Crossing, ‘Anabta, Irtah (Sha’ar Efrayim), Mon 13.7.09, Afternoon
15:40 A huge new red sign is placed about 30 meters in front of the checkpoint. The wording is slightly more accurate than in the past. “This road leads to Area A, which is part of the Palestinian Authority…”, followed by warnings about the danger of entering. The soldiers approach and ask who we are, and upon hearing our answer ask, “How are you?”
Two Israeli Arabs want to go through the checkpoint on foot, but the soldiers inform them that pedestrians aren’t able to enter here. They insist, but the soldiers explain that it’s not up to them. It’s an order they have to obey. They suggest that they go to the junction and take a taxi, even if they have only a short way to go. It should be noted that the soldiers talk to them in a straightforward way, with none of the superior attitude and lordliness we’re used to.
Meanwhile traffic has come to a halt while they were arguing, and the line stretches beyond the junction. The Israelis finally accept the suggestion and take a taxi.
The soldiers return to the new positions, and act there mainly as traffic cops. The only thing that delays the line are the spikes, but it quickly shortens.
Irtach
16:40 People quickly get out of the vehicles bringing them to the turnstile. A line of about 40-45 people forms in front of it. Inside, one window is open. About 35 people enter when the turnstile opens, but meanwhile more workers arrive, so that most of the time about 40 people are on line. The problem is that they cram into the turnstile in order to go through before it closes, so it’s very crowded. We asked some of the workers whether they still have a problem bringing food, and they say that there are no more problems. But one of them, who speaks fluent Hebrew, reports three problems:
- The nightmarish lines early in the morning, when people leave home at 3 or 4 in the morning, and often go through only at 7 or 8 AM. And if it takes them another hour to get to their workplace, when they do arrive the boss no longer wants them.
- The humiliating treatment by the employees of the security company. “They treat us like animals, ‘get away from here,’ and other things.” He says that the behavior of the soldiers was much better.
- What goes on at the DCO. When they come to get special permits (not a magnetic card) there are soldiers sitting there who aren’t doing anything. Nor does anyone bother informing them whether or not the office is open. So they can wait 5 hours for nothing.
He says that many of the workers are afraid to say anything so they don’t get in trouble.
Eyal checkpoint
17:20 Workers stream toward the checkpoint and are quickly swallowed up.
'Anabta CP
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'Anabta CP
The checkpoint is located south of the village of 'Anabta, at the intersection of Road 60 (leading to Nablus at the entrance to Area A), with Road (57, 557, 5576) facing west towards the Einav settlement and the checkpoint at the exit from the West Bank - Figs checkpoint. Until 2010 we used to watch the intersection and report the long columns created due to a slow inspection of the vehicles in both directions.
Oct-28-2011Anabta checkpoint 24.10.11
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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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