Northern checkpoints: Routine and regular conduct
North 10.08.2021 Afternoon16:00 – We drove on Route 611 from Harish to the junction with Route 596 . Cars were parked beneath the village of Kalkis. We didn’t see anyone crossing through the fence or cars parked on the road. There was only one young woman waiting for someone.
We drove past Barta’a Checkpoint and continued to Hermesh Checkpoint. On the way we drove up to the pillbox at the top of a hill where there was a fantastic view. As usual the checkpoint was open and unmanned. Traffic was passing through from East Baka and Kafin. We turned towards the home of the Turkman family and their sheep. Two women were hauling heavy sacks and did not forget to offer us tea. A man also arrived in his car and explained that the family had been living here in the Jezrael Valley between Kibbutz Mishmar HaEmek and Hazorea since before 1948. He added that his grandfather had been a friend of Alexander Zaid. He added that everything was good and that no one had demolished their wooden cabins, but they were not permitted to build permanent houses. They pay annual rent to the land owner. He also offered us tea, but we politely refused and continued on our way.
16:40 – Yaabed – Dotan Checkpoint
There were long lines of cars on both sides of the checkpoint. Spikes on the road prevent anyone from passing. Soldiers were standing with rifles aimed at the cars and were checking cars in both directions, but it was not clear why. We tried unsuccessfully to find out about the demolition of the stores at the entrance to Yaabed. We were not able to see the place from where we were standing.
17:00 – The soldiers removed the spikes and left their booths. Traffic began to move in both directions and in a few minutes the lines disappeared.
17:20 – Barta’a – Reihan Checkpoint, Palestinian Side
An army vehicle and police car were parked on the side of the road opposite the entrance to the parking lot. It was not clear why they were there. Many workers were returning from work. There was a new red food truck in the parking lot selling everything from hot dogs to snacks to bottles of water for two Shekels. The owner explained that he had received a license from the manager of the checkpoint. The two boys continued to sell coffee from their thermos jugs. There were two cold drink dispensers under the crossing shelter as well as paper cups.
One of the drivers knew about the demolition in the entrance to Yaabed. He said they had been built without a license (as if it is possible to get one) . The stores are next to the Yaabed – Dotan Checkpoint after the turn leading to Yaabed. According to the map Yaabed is in Area B but the area between the checkpoint and the village is Area C.
17:50 – We entered the village of Dahar al Malik to see the dirt embankment that is being raised there. There was a huge gravel embankment and a high dirt embankment next to it. A road has been paved between the fence and the settlement of Shaked. The entire matter is not clear to us and we will try and follow up.
18:10 – Tura – Shaked Checkpoint
Traffic was moving in both directions. There were no pedestrians. As usual it was very dirty.
צפון 10.08.2021
רותי תובל (מצלמת) ונט גולן (מדווחת)
16:00 אנחנו נוסעות בכביש 611 מחריש לצומת עם כביש 596. מכוניות חונות למרגלות הכפר קלקיס. איננו רואות עוברים דרך גדר ההפרדה ומכוניות לא חונות על הכביש. צעירה אחת עומדת כממתינה למישהו.
חלפנו על פני מחסום ברטעה והמשכנו למחסום חרמש. בדרך עלינו לפילבוקס בראש גבעה גבוהה. הנוף מדהים. מחסום חרמש, כרגיל, פתוח ולא מאויש. תנועה רבה עוברת דרכו מבאקה המזרחית ומקפין. פנינו אל מגורי משפחת תורקמן והכבשים שלהם. שתי נשים גררו שקים כבדים ולא שכחו להציע לנו תה. הגיע גם גבר במכוניתו. סיפר שהמשפחה גרה במקום 72 שנים. לפני 1948 גרו בעמק יזרעאל, בין קיבוץ הזורע למשמר העמק. סיפר גם שסבו היה חבר של אלכסנדר זייד. לדבריו הכול טוב, לא הורסים את הצריפים שלהם ולא מציקים להם, אך הם אינם רשאים לבנות בתים ממש. משלמים שכ”ד שנתי לבעל הקרקע. גם הוא מזמין אותנו לתה אך אנחנו מסרבות בנימוס וממשיכות בדרכנו.
16:40 מחסום יעבד-דותן
שיירות ארוכות של מכוניות משני צידי המחסום. דוקרנים על הכביש מונעים כל אפשרות של עקיפה. חיילים עומדים בשני ביתני שמירה עם רובים מכווונים למכוניות. בודקים מכוניות בשני הכיוונים, לא ברור לנו למה. אנחנו מנסות ללא הצלחה לברר משהו בדבר הריסת החנויות בכניסה ליעבד. ממקום עמידתנו לא רואים את המקום.
17:00 החיילים מסירים את הדוקרנים, עוזבים את הביתנים והתנועה זורמת בשני הכיוונים. תוך דקות ספורות השיירות נעלמות.
17:20 מחסום ברטעה-ריחן, הצד הפלסטיני
בשול הכביש, מול הכניסה למגרש החנייה, חונים רכב משטרתי ורכב צבאי. לא ברור למה. רבים חוזרים מהעבודה בישראל בשעה זו. במגרש החנייה חידוש: פוד טרק אדום פתח את חלון ההגשה ומוכר כל טוב, מנקניקיה בלחמנייה, דרך חטיפים ועד בקבוק מים בשני שקל. בעל העסק אומר שקיבל רישיון ממנהל המחסום. שני ילדי הקפה ממשיכים להסתובב עם התרמוסים שלהם. בסככת המעבר שני מתקני שתייה קרה ולמרבית הפליאה גם כוסות חד פעמיות בשפע.
אחד הנהגים יודע על ההריסה בכניסה ליעבד. אומר שבנו בלי רישיון (כאילו שאפשר לקבל כזה) ושהחנויות נמצאות סמוך למחסום יעבד-דותן, תיכף אחרי הפנייה ליעבד. לפי המפה יעבד נמצאת בשטחB אבל השטח בין המחסום ליישוב הוא C.
17:50 אנחנו נכנסות לדאהר אל מלח לראות מקרוב את הסוללה ההולכת ומתרוממת שם. סוללת חצץ ענקית ולידה גם סוללת עפר גבוהה. דרך נסללה מהסוללות לגדר ההתנחלות שקד. כל העסק לא ממש ברור לנו. נשתדל לעקוב.
18:10 מחסום טורה-שקד
תנועת מכוניות בשני הכיוונים. אין הולכי רגל. יש כרגיל לכלוך רב.
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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East Barta'a Junction
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East Barta'a Junction
The main station at the eastern Barta'a junction (Roads 611/6115).
A junction without special activities became about April 2020 a bustling center of transportation to workplaces in Israel, following the free passage through loopholes in the nearby separation fence.
Palestinian workers from all over the West Bank gather here every morning, without transit permits and often without masks. The army is turning a blind eye and the occupation is losing control.
There is also no shortage of coffee and pastry stalls.
Hagar DrorSep-26-2023Barta'a: rapid construction of the separation fence
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Tura-Shaked
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Tura-Shaked
This is a fabric of life* checkpoint through which pedestrians, cabs and private cars (since 2008) pass to and from the West Bank and the Seam-line Zone to and from the industrical zone near the settler-colony Shaked, schools and kindergartens, and Jenin university campuses. The checkpoint is located between Tura village inside the West Bank and the village of Dahar Al Malah inside the enclave of the Seam-line Zone. It is opened twice a day, between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m., and from 12 noon to 7 p.m. People crossing it (at times even kindergarten children) are inspected in a bungalow with a magnometer. Names of those allowed to cross it appear in a list held by the soldiers. Usually traffic here is scant.
- fabric of life roads and checkpoints, as defined by the Terminals Authority in the Ministry of Defense (fabric of life is a laundered name that does not actually describe any kind of humanitarian purpose) are intended for Palestinians only. These roads and checkpoints have been built on lands appropriated from their Palestinian owners, including tunnels, bypass roads, and tracks passing under bridges. Thus traffic can flow between the West Bank and its separated parts that are not in any kind of territorial contiguity with it. Mostly there are no permanent checkpoint on these roads but rather ‘flying’ checkpoints, check-posts or surprise barriers. At Toura, a small (less than one dunam) and sleepy checkpoint has been established, which has filled up with the years with nearly .every means of supervision and surveillance that the Israeli military occupation has produced. (February 2020)
Mar-21-2022Anin Checkpoint: A magnificent breach in the center of the checkpoint
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Ya'bed-Dotan
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Ya’bed-Dotan
This checkpoint is located on road 585, at the crossroads of Mevo Dotan settler-colony / Jenin/ Ya’abad. It has an army watchtower (‘pillbox’ post) and concrete blocs that slow down vehicular traffic. It was erected when Barta’a Checkpoint, lying to the west on the Separation Fence, was privatized and its operation was passed over to civilian security personnel. Since December 2009 this checkpoint enables flow of Palestinian vehicular traffic towards the Barta’a Checkpoint. Seldom is it manned by soldiers sitting in the watchtower, who conduct random inspections of vehicles and passengers. (february 2020)
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