Irtah (Sha’ar Efrayim), Sun 13.9.09, Morning
We arrived at 04:00
Everything is dark, but for the projectors which illuminate the turnstiles.
The workers gladly welcomed us with
The women workers were happy to hear that we brought them hand-cream
We passed the cream on by the intermediary of the children who sell coffee
Through the loudspeakers the guards we calling to say that "the Machsomwatch ladies are not allowed to cross the fence spiral" which lies on the ground and makes it difficult for us to approach the children
04:27 The turnstiles were opened
From the village of Pharoun the mouazin began broadcasting prayers through the loudspeaker
Until 04:40 about 1000 workers passed quickly. The turnstiles are open all the time
04:45 The turnstiles are shut down
2 workers returned because of handprints
Now they have to wait until 09:00 in the best of cases, when they'll open the DCO offices and settle the matter
04:55 They closed the turnstiles. There are still about 200 workers waiting
05:10 2 returned because of handprints
A rain downpour began
The workers cry out that the turnstiles be opened so that they won't have to stand in the rain
5 workers returned because of handprints
Up till now 14 workers were returned
06:10 Another 1500 workers entered
06:30 The queue of the workers is terminated
About 4000 workers passed this morning
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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