Propylene Plant in Shahak Industrial Park Closed Today

 06:55 Shaked-Turah CP

The checkpoint is open. They tell us it opened on time, at 06:30. A woman is waiting in the shed for a ride, and an Israeli car is waiting for workers-passengers. People are passing into the seam zone while re-buckling their belts. A resident of Dahar-al-Maleh arrives in a shiny car to take his colleagues, residents of the West Bank, to Propylene Plant in the Shahak industrial park in the seam zone. It’s their last day at work there. The plant will close today. Asked about the future, the driver responds that God will take care of them. Let’s hope.

At 07:00, students, big and small, begin to arrive. Two girls are not wearing the school uniform, a striped dress, but rather beautiful traditional dresses, embroidered in red. The older girl is wearing a hijab, the other one is small and wears a large embroidered head-dress. Due to the language barrier we cannot ask what is the meaning of these special outfits. Maybe a school presentation?

8:10 Baqa Checkpoint (gate 526)

For a long time we haven’t watch this checkpoint. The checkpoint is staffed by military police soldiers and seems to be running ”fine”. A few are passing at this time and the passage is fast. A resident of the Israeli Baqa al-Gharbiyye is waiting for someone. Meanwhile, he says/asks if we had seen such a horror like this wall. In his opinion we, the citizens, can change the situation.

08:30 we leave. The deserted parking lot, which has been used before the construction of the wall as a common market for both Baqas, now serves as a warehouse for abandoned vehicles, a fruit and vegetables stall to one side. The main street of Baqa al-Gharbiyye is flourishing, restaurants, cafes, and shops galore.