Jenin region: "I pray for you that you will be fine"
On Wednesday, October 18th, an old acquaintance of mine, S.A., called at 14:30 in the afternoon from the area of Jenin. He began by explaining that the army was making things difficult for the Palestinians everywhere, placing checkpoints all over and next to every village, and no one was allowed to go in or out. Palestinian workers, who were still in Israel on Saturday October 7th, were beaten by policemen or soldiers from the border patrol near Barta’a Checkpoint. Anyone returning to his home in the West Bank was checked – something that has not been done for years. No one can go to work, and the situation is difficult. He then confided that the pictures of children who were killed are constantly in his mind. When I explained that nothing like this has happened to the Jews since the Holocaust I felt that he did not understand what I was talking about. I then understood that he was talking about the deal children in the hospital in Gaza!! I don’t know where he gets his information and assume that he is only accustomed to viewing the damage that has been done by Israeli bombings in Gaza.
A week ago on October 11th Mira, a 20-year old Palestinian woman who is from a poor family in the region of Jenin wrote me: “Hey, are you okay? Hope you are well during these difficult events for all of us. I hope you stay well. My prayers are for you.
Barta’a-Reihan Checkpoint
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This checkpoint is located on the Separation Fence route, east of the Palestinian town of East Barta’a. The latter is the largest Palestinian community inside the seam-line zone (Barta’a Enclave) in the northern West Bank. Western Barta’a, inside Israel, is adjacent to it. The Checkpoint is open all week from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Since mid-May 2007, the checkpoint has been managed by a civilian security company subordinate to the Ministry of Defense. People permitted to cross through this checkpoint into and from the West Bank are residents of Palestinian communities inside the Barta’a Enclave as well as West Bank Palestinian residents holding transit permit. Jewish settlers from Hermesh and Mevo Dotan cross here without inspection. A large, modern terminal is active here with 8 windows for document inspection and biometric tests (eyes and fingerprints). Usually only one or two of the 8 windows are in operation. Goods, up to medium commercial size, may pass here from the West Bank into the Barta’a Enclave. A permanent registered group of drives who have been approved by the may pass with farm produce. When the administration of the checkpoint was turned over to a civilian security firm, the Ya’abad-Mevo Dotan Junction became a permanent checkpoint. . It is manned by soldiers who sit in the watchtower and come down at random to inspect vehicles and passengers (February 2020).
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