Jalama, RihanWednesday morning, 20 October 2004 Observers: Masha S., Netta G. (reporting) 6:20 – Jalama The site is quiet and empty, as there is a partial closure in effect [prohibiting passage]; Agriculture workers are allowed in, construction workers are banned from crossing the checkpoint. We can no longer go into the waiting shed, so we can only meet the workers when they come out of the inspection building. We have no idea as to what is going inside. The workers now exit from the fenced “sleeve” at a slow dribble. It appears that despite all the improvements, the ‘regulation’ of lifting up the shirt, and the opening of the belt – is still in effect. All male workers exit the ‘sleeve’ area while zipping up their pants and fastening their belts. Due to the fast of the Ramadan they do no carry lunch bags. The sewing workshop women who cross from Israel into Jalama, walk through the ‘ sleeve’ in the opposite direction.We ask the Palestinian if there are many people waiting in line, the answer is negative. 7:00 – A big loaded truck drives into the checkpoint (not to the back-to-back facility; see below), its destination is the sewing workshop in Jalama. After a few telephone call and coordination, the truck is allowed in. The checkpoint commander , a pleasant Staff Sergeant, explains to us that the owner of the sewing workshop is an Israeli and therefore the coordination is done directly with the army not involving the DCO [IDF Civil Administration in the Territories, that issues passage permits].They do not let us drive to CP 250 due to a high-level security alert.We didn’t wait for the opening of the back-to-back facility [where transported goods are offloaded and reloaded so that neither vehicle has to cross the CP]. The combination of being shut off the inspection process, due to the use of the ‘sleeve’ and keeping us away from the waiting shed, together with the ban from going to CP 250, left us feeling entirely disconnected from what is happening at the CP.We drove to Rihan. 7:50 – Rihan The traffic is sparse. The soldiers say that Palestinians with various passage permits are allowed in. Israelis, except for settlers, are not allowed into the West Bank .We watched a few pedestrians going through the electronic gate while leaving their personal belongings (such as cellular telephones) on a table by the gate. Later their papers were inspected. The process was swift and there were no problems.On the southern side (Territories) there are 6-8 cars waiting. The pace of passage is reasonable, despite what seems to us as extra-thorough inspection. When one car’s inspection takes longer, they allow the following car to proceed into the middle lane, usually designated for military vehicles or to settlers’ cars, to be inspected there.An Israeli Arab requests permission to drive his Palestinian wife to a taxi on the southern side of the CP. He is granted permission.