Hamra, Tayasir, Wed 28.11.07, Afternoon

Place: Hamra (Beqaot) Tayasir CP

Tags: Crowding Punishment Slow passage

Observers: Annina K., Yehudit H., and two guests: Esthy and Noga

Nov-28-2007

| Afternoon

Tyasir 1250

A Palestinian who bought a new car came to the CP in it, but the car licence bore somebody else's name, and he was not allowed to go through. The regiment commander who was visiting the CP talked to him, was convinced that he was telling the truth and allowed him through. Of course, the driver praises the commander to the skies when he talks to us. The brigade commander tells us about the procedures and the preparations of the soldiers before every shift, when, he says, moral values are the most important aspect. He was upset because Noga (the guest) is a girl of 17, and he thinks it is wrong to bring her to the CP.

After two months, the ultra-orthodox Nahal soldiers are back and they are operating the CP. At the CP, there is the customary routine. The passengers get out and go through the magnometer and the turnstiles. At the vehicle CP, they stop for inspection and all of them go through quickly. In the other direction, as well, i.e., in the direction of Tubas (the West Bank), there are many trucks and cars loaded with vegetables and fruit, and they go through almost without any inspection.

Hamra 1435

There are very long queues in both directions. It seems that until we arrived all the vehicles were at a standstill and practically not a single one went through in either direction. The drivers and some of the passengers are outside the cars. They tell us that they have been waiting between an hour and an hour and a half. From the minute we arrived, quick passage began in both directions, and some of the passengers shout, 'thank you' to us.

A large group of laborers, young fellows, arrive at the CP; the bus that brought them is waiting in the queue for passage. They had to get off the bus; now they have to go through the turnstiles and to present ID cards. They all work in the packing plant in Tamra, packing tomatoes. They talk to us and tell us about their work and are punished for this by the soldiers: They have to go back, to stand in line and go through one by one.

A young fellow from Hebron tells us that he works in transportation to Nablus and to Jenin, but he has to employ a driver from the Jiftik who can go through the CP because with an ID from Hebron, he is not allowed to drive in the CP. He goes through the turnstiles and the driver, his employee, drives his vehicle through, and that is the way he works every day; it costs him a great deal of money.

The gigantic queues are getting smaller and we leave at 1515.

The Jordan Valley is green in this season, vegetation has begun to grow and the brownish-greenish ground looks lovely. A herd of deer passed us in the field. "Everything is so open and so closed", Noga sums up what she has seen.

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.
  
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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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