Reihan, Shaked, Wed 31.3.10, Morning

Translation: Bracha B.A.

Yesterday there was closure.  Today Shaked is quiet and people at Reihan are managing.

07:45- Shaked-Tura
Several children dressed in school uniforms, with open notebooks in their hands, are walking up the road.  They go through quickly.  There is very little traffic and almost no one goes through. There is mostly movement of military vehicles.  We arrived after the busy hour, but perhaps there is less traffic due to the Passover holiday.

08:30 – Reihan Barta'a Checkpoint
The section of road leading to the checkpoint, which was narrow and required drivers passing each other to behave politely, has been repaved.  The parking lot on the Palestinian side is completely full.  Four trucks with agricultural produce are waiting to be checked and then go through to East Barta'a.  One of the drivers claims that he has been waiting since 06:00.

At 08:50 a group of 27 people arrives, including a small child, Amran, who was seen exiting the terminal after 10 minutes.  A woman with a baby leaves the checkpoint 15 minutes after she arrived after the usual procedure of rude shouts of "Hamsa, hamsa!" (Five at a time, five at a time) and "Sakker el telefon" (Close your telephone!).  No one else is waiting at the entrance.  Six vehicles drive up to the first station on their way to be checked.  And go in after 5 minutes.

At 09:20 the trucks drive up to be checked.  A smiling young man without proper work permits but with a lot of resourcefulness describes his survival routine.  He was detained in the checkpoint for an hour and a half and is now on the way home for a vacation.