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Gochya, Hamra, Ma’ale Efrayim, Tayasir, Sun 9.1.11, Afternoon

Observers: Dafna Banai, Tal Haran, yifat Doron
Jan-09-2011
| Afternoon

 

Maale Ephraim 12:15 – 13:00
A taxi carrying 6 passengers is detained by soldiers on the roadside. The people inside do not know why, the soldiers refuse to explain. Lately this checkpoint has only occasionally been manned by soldiers. Today the soldiers are inspecting every car and many are turned back. According to them these cars are not registered as belonging to the Jordan valley, and only cars from that area are permitted to travel there.
Finally 2 passengers from the taxi are told to descend. They are told that they are to be delayed, being on the list provided by the Israeli security system. One of them works for the Palestine authority, both are from Nablus. They ask the officer why they are being detained, and he tells them to wait. Meanwhile he directs the taxi with the remaining passengers to return to Nablus. That happens after a 2 hour wait. The 2 detainees wait for a further half hour, at the end of which the officer returns their papers and explains that if they don't wish to be detained again, they must go to the the nearest district coordination office and there they will be instructed as to what is required. One of the 2 insists that all his papers ae valid, and he is certain that he is not being sought.
It is a well known method of the Israeli security services to recruit collaborators by exerting pressure on Palestinians in various ways, including delays at checkposts.

A jewish woman emerges from a car with Israeli license plates. She smiles at the soldiers and offers them cake, apologizing that she hasn't brought enough for all of them , "you are wonderful" she says. Before leaving she hands the soldiers a piece of paper. "these three are expected", and she mentions 3 arab names. "don't delay them at the checkpoint".

Hamra checkpoint
The walls of the shed used for detainees are high, so one cannot see who is inside. The wall of the shed for pedestrians has also been raised, and the soldiers' water facility has been removed, since it impeded pedestrian passage.

Tayasir checkpoint 13:45-14:30
Lately many phone calls from Palestinians have reported delays of an hour – hour & a half at the checkpoint. Some have complained they were forced to wait in the rain while their cars were being checked. The military unit has recently changed
.

Gochya checkpoint 15:00-16:30
The post is meant to open at 1500. B' is waiting on his tractor since 13:30. Meanwhile he shows us a receipt received when he recovered the tractor. B' bypassed the checkpost in July, going from the neighboring village to his lodgings to fetch food and water for his cattle on a day on which the checkpost is closed. The reason he took that route was that thus it was shortened by hours. He was intercepted en route and the tractor was confiscated. He recently managed to raise the money required to release the tractor – 4000 shekels. Since the tractor had not been used for 5 months it necessitated towing and repairs for an additional 700 shekels. He waits patiently for the gate to open, but the soldiers haven't arrived. When the district office was called, it was claimed by the soldiers that the gate has been open for 20 minutes, but in fact the soldiers arrived at 4:30. They open the gate after a thorough examination of his documens, belongings, and the tractor. When the tractor does not start immediately, one of the soldiers calls: "do you expect me to wait for you all day long?"

In the roads of the valley
A number of road blocks directed westward from the valley, which were flattened by rains or inhabitants of the area, have been raised again, apparently by the army. 

 

  • Gochya

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    • Gochya checkpoint, which is opposite Beqaot settlement, is a metal bar blocking a dirt road in the Jordan Valley that prevents residents living in the eastern Jordan Valley from travelling freely to the western Jordan Valley and back again.  This checkpoint, which is supposed to open only three times a week for half an hour (and usually doesn’t open at all), prevents residents living in the eastern Jordan Valley from accessing the town of Tamun, for example, which serves as a regional urban center.  They’re prevented from maintaining contact with family members, obtaining medical treatment, getting to school and shopping, etc.  Children from the eastern Jordan Valley are compelled to live during the week with families in Tamun to insure they are able to attend school regularly.  The locals must make long detours, and risk severe punishment if they’re caught.  In order to prevent them from bypassing the checkpoint, the IDF dug a series of long, deep ditches around the checkpoint and created very high earthen berms.
  • Hamra (Beqaot)

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    •  

      One of the Jordan Rift Valley checkpoints that prevent direct transit between the West Bank and the Jordan Valley, in addition to Tayasir Checkpoint. Located next to Hamra settlement, on Route 57 and the Allon Road.

      Read about the peple of the Jordan Valley and the quiet transfer happening there.

      עין שיבלי: עזים וכבשים
      Shahar Shiloah
      Nov-3-2021
      Ein Shibli: grazing begins close to home
  • Ma'ale Efrayim

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    • Ma'ale Efrayim On the road connecting Route 90 (the Jordan Valley road) to the Allon Road.
  • Tayasir CP

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    • Located on road 5799, It is one of the checkpoints control the passage between the northern West Bank and the Jordan Valley. For a long time, it stood empty and open, with only a sign next to it warning against entering Area A. It was adjacent to an old military camp - now everything is neglected. How much money was invested here, and how much brainwashing was done to the soldiers of Netzah Yehuda and Kfir.

       

      Today, it is very difficult to pass there. Many delays. Often, teachers from Tubas are not allowed to pass into the Valley to villages like Ein al-Bida where the local schools are located, and there are no classes. There are additional days when the checkpoint is closed. In general, there is a wait there of about two to four hours to go towards the Valley and also to return. Many times the Palestinians are forced to use the Hamra checkpoint, which also leads into Tubas and the West Bank, but there is also a huge queue there and a long wait.

       

      Following a deadly attack on soldiers at the nearby base in February 2025, the checkpoint was completely closed for the time being. (Updated March 2025)

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