Eyal Crossing, ‘Anabta, Irtah (Sha’ar Efrayim), Sun 13.9.09, Afternoon
Ras Atiya 14:45
Two soldiers manning the gate in the fence that surrounds this village. A bit desolate, not a soul in sight, practically. Very scant traffic at this time. A truck arrives, waits for a signal from the soldier to approach him. The driver greets us, we greet him.
This sufficed for the soldier to gesticulate angrily at the driver, and after sending him to be checked in the booth, he approaches us and explains that we can stand here and mustn’t create a disturbance. How are we creating a disturbance? By speaking to the driver and holding him up. We didn’t speak to him. We said hi and he answered hi.
-Yes, but he looked at you…
On our way near Kedumim colony we see a brush fire by the road.
Further on the way, the entrance to Azun village is blocked by a wide earth barrier.
Army jeep parked on the side.
Jit Junction 15:20
Further on in the directionof Tapuach Junction close by a civilian police car and military vehicle, but no traffic pressure.
We do not stop there as we are headed for Dir Sharaf, the ‘Haviot’ Checkpoint, where soldiers are relaxing, seated and not bothering in-coming and out-going traffic.
Anabta Checkpoint 15:40
Vehicles enter and exit undisturbed, we did not stay long.
Yirtach Crossing 16:00
A crowd of workers on their home outside the outer turnstile. Inside, only one checking counter active. The turnstile locks every few minutes. Tremendous pressure in the air. After long minutes of tense waiting, hundreds of workers, the inner doors open suddenly and another two checking counters are activated. One of the workers tells us in unbroken Hebrew: “That’s how it is day in, day out. They screw us (sorry!) every morning, every afternoon.”
Eyal Crossing 16:50
Here too after some workers get through quickly, we witness an accumulating crowd outside the outer turnstile. Then we hear the following pearl of humor on the p.a. system inside: “All the checkers, out of the water!”
And we proceed home, ashamed.
Holiday greetings.
'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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