Reihan, Shaked, Wed 20.5.09, Morning
Hedva H. came to the checkpoint later because she had to drive Abed, an 8-year-old cancer patient, from Yaabed to Reihan Checkpoint after he had to undergo another chemotherapy treatment.
09:40 Shaked – Tura Checkpoint
Children are already returning to their homes in the seamline zone from school in the West Bank. It is lucky that they managed to come back before the checkpoint is closed at 10:00. It will open again at 12:00.
10:10 Reihan Barta’a Checkpoint
Three groups of four tenders each loaded with merchandise were checked by 12:00. People went through the terminal in 5-10 minutes.
A resident of Kapin told us that he has an agricultural permit for the Kapin Checkpoint (Gate 408). The day before yesterday, Monday, he went to his olive grove with a tool to hoe the dry weeds that are liable to cause fires. The man was late returning through the Kapin Checkpoint. He hid his hoe in the olive grove and walked and hitchhiked to the terminal at Reihan-Barta’a. The man said that he was late for the closing hour at the Kapin Checkpoint and they let him go through to the West Bank, but confiscated his agricultural permit and told him he must go and get it back at the Liaison and Coordination Administration at Salem.
Yesterday, Tuesday, the man came to the Liaison and Coordination Administration, where he was told that his permit had not arrived there and that he should go retrieve it at the checkpoint.
I called the Liaison and Coordination Administration at Salem and was told that the permit would not be returned immediately but only after a hearing that would be conducted at the Liaison and Coordination Administration at Tul Karem to which the village of Kapin belongs.
I talked with A., a representative of the Liaison and Coordination Administration at the checkpoint, and explained to him that the man was not in Israel and did not remain in the seamline zone overnight. HE was only late and was trying to get back. His entire life depends upon his land. A said that he would try to help and that the man should come to see him at the checkpoint on Thursday at 16:00. On Thursday evening I called the man from Kapin, who said his agricultural permit had been returned.