'Anin, Reihan, Shaked, Mon 28.6.10, Morning
Translation: Bracha B.A.
06:05 – A'anin Checkpoint
The first people are crossing and there are about 25 more people waiting. There is a concrete shelter where people can stand while being checked, but the soldiers prefer to stand far away from us. The permits of about 30 farmers are due to expire and the Liaison and Coordination Administration has informed them that there is no need to submit requests because they will be automatically renewed. A man tells us that his 70-year-old parents who own land made an agreement with people from Um-a-Reihan that they would work their land and receive half of the yield as payment. But after the olives are pressed into oil they cannot transport the oil to the family in A'anin across the checkpoint. We were told that since we intervened there have been no herds of cows or goats in the olives groves. At the end of our previous shift we left the checkpoint because we were certain that a man would be allowed to bring some used mattresses across, but it turned out that he was not allowed through and had to go home via Reihan. The soldier in charge tells us that this is not so but I am not convinced.
07:00 Reihan checkpoint
A. from Um A-Reihan in the seamline zone says that many residents of the village have married people in the West Bank and that family visits and obtaining permits have become difficult. A resident of Zibda tells us about his sister who married a man from Barta'a and had a son. She received a permit stating that she was a permanent resident of Barta'a, but after she went to her father's house for a visit she was prevented from going back to Barta'a to her home. People complained about crowding in the terminal and that only one window was operating but after a half hour things began to move faster.
Three people – one of them elderly – have been waiting for an hour after returning from Israel. When we arrive they receive their documents back again. Two taxis are waiting for permission to continue on their way on the Palestinian road. Meanwhile the passengers get out and wait in the hot sun until the check is completed. A., the driver, has not come to work for three days. His car went out of control on the downhill road and broke down and he is at home sick and unhappy.
08:10 – Tura Checkpoint
Everything is routine. A car goes through in seven minutes and we are met by a couple of soldiers whose job seems to be to keep an eye on us. A woman greets us with "good morning" and the soldier asks ironically why she doesn't greet him as well. We tell him that when he grows older and leaves the army he will understand why.
We left at 08:30.