Eyal Crossing, Irtah (Sha’ar Efrayim), Tue 30.6.09, Morning
Semader B and I arrived at the CP at 04:00. We saw in the roster that Dalia Golomband Raya Yaron were scheduled for the dawn shift and we wanted to meet them. The elder women-laborers were sitting at the head of the queue and when they heard the mouazinfrom Irtah and Far'oun calling to pray at 04:00, they began praying.
We saw in the dark that the queue of waiting people was long and stretched to the sheds where food was sold. The examiners let people enter quickly and until 05:20 there weren't many people waiting in the queue. We heard shouting from the installation and it seemed to us that the examiners wished to conceal the laborers from us and put them quickly into the installation where they are crowded and packed, but we cannot see or photograph this. The crowding and pressure inside cause them mental and physical damage.
The day before yesterday a laborer had a heart attack and had to be removed to hospital. At about 05:20 Raya and Dalia appeared and told us that they wanted to photograph the laborers leaving the installation and came to us only after that. They said that this was their first visit at Irtah. After a conversation with Raya I drove her and Semadar to the parking lot of the installation crew. An armed guard came to us and said that we were forbidden to park because that was a private terrain. He demanded that we leave the parking lot as it was private property
I asked him to whom the area belonged and he said "Modi'in Ezrahi". I told him that that wasn't a military area and we had a right to stand there. He said he was going to talk to the director and disappeared without returning to us. A quarter of an hour later Raya and Dalia proceeded to other checkpoints. We too left and drove to the EyalCP
We arrived at the Eyal CP around 07:00. We saw about 300 laborers in the parking aread at the exit and many cars waiting for them. Some we waiting for those who were still being checked at the installation. The installation is completely new. Since Sunday all the activity at the installation is performed by a private contractor. It is not clear who the contractor is. At Eyal there is no possibility of seeing, from the Israeli side, the workers waiting in the queue to enter the installation. It seems to us that the installation was planned in such a way as to make it impossible for the MachsomWatch women to see what happens to the waiting people
They told us that it is forbidden to transfer at Eyal any liquid, even tap water. They showed us the food bags and explained what is allowed to bring. They are not allowed to bring tuna-fish tins, no food in tins. It is forbidden to bring coffee, sugar, olive oil, cooked food brought from the home. Sausage, they said the food doesn't suffice. Many complained that they remain hungry during the whole working-day. They told us that in the installation they stand in two queues, one for young men and one for older ones
The queue of the young men advances slowly, because most of the must undergo additional checks. Sometimes they are kept in the rooms for an hour an a half. In a small room sometimes about 30 to 40 people are crowded. The workers told us that the installation opens at 04:30. Many said that their situation was better when the army operated the installations and allowed them to bring work utensils, food and drink. And even to bring children for a holiday in Israel. At the parking lot we saw just one drinking fountain, and there, out of 4 taps only 2 operated, and were hot
Furthermore we found two buildings that were supposed to operate as toilets. In both there are no lavatories, and many have to defecate on the floor. Around 08:00 we left the place in which about 200 people remained
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.
-
Irtah (Sha'ar Efrayim)
See all reports for this place-
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.
-