Eyal Crossing, Irtah (Sha’ar Efrayim), Mon 19.3.12, Morning
We decided to go out on a dawn shift after last week's report concerning problems of the passage of workers. We actually saw a relatively swift passage, with no special problems, except for the very fact of having to arrive from all parts of the West Bank to one checkpoint, from which everyone goes to their workplace in the central region.
04:30 Irtach.
There were Palestinians walking along the road to Irtach (not clear to what destination). The parking lot was full of cars and vans collecting workers on their way. Hundreds of workers were scattered around the area, having already passed through the inspection and waiting for transport, sitting and standing in groups; smoking, eating breakfast which they brought with them and clustering around the cafeteria whose owners do well every morning selling coffee, tea and other extras. We also checked the entry spot for inspection (behind yet other fences and shacks whose purpose was not clear) and the turnstyles open and close quickly. At 05:00 the line next to the entrance was already quite short. People with whom we spoke reported on a passage within an hour (to them this seemed quite fast).
06:05 Eyal
The situation at Ayal was similar: lots of people around and many vehicles coming and going. Because of the structure of the place (here too they have added a roofed over lane) it was impossible to see the line of people entering or the exit. The workers whom we questioned said the passage here too was fine.
In the end, a van driver approached us: he was from Jerusalem and brings workers all over the occupied territory. He spoke from his heart and it was clear that we gave him the opportunity to let off steam and express his discouragement; from us as well. "What do you do? You come. You stand around and write things down…but nothing ever changes." And so on. I think to myself, "What do they – the Palestinians, poverty stricken, think about us? How do they see us?
It was too early to travel to Habla, where the checkpoint only opens at 7:00, so we returned home.
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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