Reihan, Wed 7.4.10, Morning

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Passage Restrictions

Observers:

Hedvah H., Nava R. (reporting)

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Apr-7-2010

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Morning

Punishing the Family

09:45 Reihan-Barta'a CP
No cars are waiting to go through from the seamline zone to the West Bank and only a few pedestrians are passing through in that direction.

A truck loaded with agricultural products stood in front of the vehicle CP in the direction from the West Bank to the seamline zone, and, at some distance from it, there are more trucks and pickup trucks. I asked the driver why the strange arrangement. The driver said that they are not allowing him to go through; he has been waiting since 9 a.m. and they tell him to part in the parking lot or in the inspection areas and they will inspect his truck and let him through only tomorrow. The driver had all the required documents and they say that he is transporting spices and beans. The driver said that the goods are expensive and he cannot leave them in the parked vehicle until tomorrow nor can he return them to the supplier. He says that yesterday his brother tried to transport a part for a tractor of his for repair in the seamline zone. He was not allowed to take the part through the CP and he came to a verbal confrontation with Sharon. As 'family punishment', today they are not allowing his driver brother to go through. The driver also told us that three days ago he came to the CP with a sick baby info-icon . They did not let him take the baby through in the car and he was forced to walk with him through the sleeve. The baby's condition worsened. He tole us that another brother is always detained in the terminal until they finally allow him to go through.

I couldn't get Sharon (head of the CP, deputed by the Ministry of Security) on the phone. I called the DCO at that time.

11:00 Ron, an additional head of the CP, approached me. He claims that the driver and his brother do not 'behave nicely' at the CP and they decided to give them a 'collective punishment'. There was also a meeting at the DCO to discuss this. Ron himself looked quite embarrassed as he tried to explain. In the meantime a Hummer with soldiers arrived and they stood in a threatening row near the vehicle CP.

I decided not to leave the place before the truck would go through. The driver's friends brought him Humous and gave some to me.

14:00 the truck with the spices went through.

Location Description

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).