Rihan, Saturday, July 16, 2005, AMObservers: Irit R., Noa L. (reporting)08:45-10:45 Since the opening of the road, the taxi drivers waiting for the people coming to the seam area have moved to the northern entrance to the checkpoint. We spoke with the drivers and one of them requested assistance with his General Security Services prohibition. We called him from the house and gave him Firas’ phone number and direct access to legal consultation services. We entered the checkpoint through the “sleeve” together with a female student from Umm al-Fahm and her friends, A solider shouted at us that we have no reason to come because there is closure today, that it is forbidden to stand near the checkpoint, and that we should leave immediately. We noted that today, most of the soldiers were aggressive, crude, arrogant and short-tempered. The students persisted and tried to cross at the Jalama checkpoint. Pedestrian crossing: Three particularly rude, aggressive and arrogant women soldiers staff the crossing, with the crudest sitting next to the computer in the hut. The pedestrians are called one by one: “Put, expose, remove, take, go, come back. What, you don’t understand Hebrew? I explained it to you 1,000 times! Move, get out of here!” The objects are vigorously inspected on the table, and the identification cards as well. Today, there is closure. Usually, closure means that Arab Israelis cannot enter the West Bank. But this time — surprise! Jews are also forbidden to travel into the West Bank. There are no detainees. The big parking expanse is enclosed with fencing and barbed wire. Pedestrians and taxi passengers passing through here to the identification check have trouble finding the narrow passage. It is very hot, there are many packages to be inspected and many children to cross. What was this big, empty space intended for? Vehicle Crossing: Many soldiers are guarding and few are inspecting the cars waiting to pass. The vehicles and the identification cards next to the computer are strictly inspected. There is no requirement to “dance,” i.e., (expose the stomach and pants legs) but the inspection is done very slowly. Despite the relatively short line (up to 10 cars) the waiting time in line is half an hour. Most of the vehicles are allowed to pass, and according to the fruit — sabras and figs — we are at the peak of summer. One enormous truck with a trailer and an Israeli license plate and ID card does not cross. The reason: produce is not inspected here. A man whose sister is married to an Israeli and has lived with her family in Iksel for four years but does not have an Israeli ID approaches us. She left to visit her family in the West Bank and now cannot return to her husband and children. We gave him Firas’ phone number and suggested turning to the Interior Ministry in Hadera. At the end of the shift, we were personally inspected by the commander of the checkpoint, including our bags and a sack of dirty clothes that was in the car on its way to the laundry, with the warning, “What did they give you to transport?”