'Anin, Reihan, Shaked, Sun 10.10.10, Afternoon
Translation: Bracha B.A.
15:05 – A'anin
Soldiers are already at the checkpoint. The gate opened at 15:07. There are three tractors and six people near the gate – the same people who left in the morning. The routine of the olive harvest has begun but many of the farmers have not yet received permits to enter the seamline zone and others did not know of the possibility of going out to the olive groves on Sunday. One farmer told us that the Palestinian contacts reject requests for permits and tell them "Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow." One of the tractor drivers complains about the Bedouin who steal olives from his grove.
At 15:20 the soldiers prepare to close the gate. During the olive harvest it will remain open until 16:30.
15:30 – Shaked-Tura
A few cars drive through quickly in both directions.
A 60-year old farmer from Yabed who has 500 olive trees tells us that there are no permits for children and grandchildren to work in the harvest, which is due to begin October 15th. The requests for permits are held up somewhere between the Yabed Municipality and the Palestinian contacts and Salem.
15:55 – Reihan Barta'a
There are a few cars in the upper parking lot. An Israeli contractor who brought workers to the checkpoint says that one of them has been working for him for 15 years, and asks us to do something so that people will be allowed to come through Reihan Checkpoint in the morning. At 16:00 the gate to the vehicle inspection facility opens, and four cars drive out. Six cars are waiting to enter the inspection facility.
Workers who came through Ephraim gate in the morning said that the situation there was awful.
At 16:30 there are about 20 people waiting in front of the turnstile. We hear shouting inside the terminal and after about 7 minutes an elderly man comes out leaning on a cane. He is angry and is the one who was shouting. He has just been released from the hospital and they want him to go through the X-ray machine again and again. He refused. He already went through the machine, already lifted his shirt. What more do they want? He uttered a colorful curse and left.
Workers pass through the terminal within 7 minutes after they arrive. Five people who were in Israel illegally are waiting on the bench for five minutes and then enter the terminal. A man with an oxygen mask and his wife are waiting on the bench for someone to pick them up.