Irtah (Sha’ar Efrayim), Jubara (Kafriat), Wed 11.8.10, Morning
Translation: Suzanne O.
Artach
6:45 a.m.
There is no queue to enter, on the exit to Israel side there are very few people.
Jubara
7:10 a.m.
The 'story' of the locked gate:
Two weeks ago the lock on the gate to Jubara was broken. Yesterday I contacted the DCO Ephraim to find out the situation and was told that the lock had been changed. When we got to the gate we indeed saw a shiny new lock, however, we were told at the roadblock that the lock is not under their authority but under that of the Brigade and they will shortly arrive with the key. And indeed a Brigade jeep arrived. But then we were told by the roadblock commander (who was very helpful all the time) that he had not been left a key, however, we were given a permit to use the security road to get to the entrance gate to Jubara 753.
We drove there and got to an enhanced gate with a number of soldiers and no one at the entrance. When we asked the soldiers why, it appears it is because it is the first day of Ramadan.
The road to Jenin
7:45 a.m.
We drove by Anabta – empty, we bought some figs.
We drove by Dir Sharf/Hachaviot – empty; the road to Jenin is open, there is no roadblock, there are soldiers at the side of the road and cars drive along in both directions. When we asked if we too could use the road they answered: "With pleasure".
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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Jubara (Kafriat)
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The Jabra checkpoint was on Road 557, south of Tulkarm, on the side of the Figs Pass, which is located within the Palestinian Authority (a few kilometers east of the Green Line), and serves as an entry barrier from the territories to Israel. The checkpoint to the village of Jubara, which until 2013 was in the seam area, blocked and surrounded by a fence, was intended for the passage of the family members of the house next to the checkpoint, and also for the MachsomWatch volunteers (with special permission only), on their way to checkpoint 753. on the other side of the village. The soldiers supervising the "fig crossing" also supervised the crossing at this checkpoint, in our shifts we often waited a long time until the key was found and the gate opened. The checkpoint was abolished and became part of the separation fence that was moved west following the High Court.
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