'Anin, Reihan, Shaked, Thu 27.1.11, Morning

0600 Anin checkpoint

It is still rather dark, but people are already passing – only men. 15 men have passed, and one tractor. The civilian administration insists on not renewing passage permits for farmers, the result being that most inhabitants of Anin who have agricultural land on the other side of the separation fence cannot reach it…

The schools are closed now due to the trimester recess, and children come to the checkpoint in order to pass and work with their fathers in the seam zone. But not all children are allowed to pass. When we notice this, we try to explain to the soldiers, apparently a fresh unit, that there is an administrative problem regarding the right of children aged 12 to 16 to pass with their parents' ID card or passage permit, but the soldiers refuse to listen. "It is my right not to speak with you," one of them says, and they show a marked lack of interest in what we saying.

In the absence of a representative of the Liaison & Coordination Administration, Neta asks the soldier not to speak with us but to listen to us, but he stubbornly refuses. Neta calls the Liaison & CoordinationAdministration and asks them to brief the soldiers regarding the registration of children. The father's agricultural passage permit states "including children up to 12 years". Children up to the age of 16 are listed on the parents’ ID card, but the permits list only children up to 12. After age 16 they have to acquire their own ID card and permit.
Strangely, not all Palestinians know this, or they act as if they don't, and they bring their children to the checkpoint in the hope that they would pass.

The procedure regarding passage of children aged 12-16 years accompanied by a parent has not been defined clearly. The Liaison & CoordinationAdministrationrepresentative promises to investigate the matter and return to Neta.

For the child whose passage was refused, it is too late – the checkpoint has been closed and he returns home.

Shaked checkpoint 0700

The checkpoint is open and movement across it is very slow. Due to the school vacation there are much less people who need to pass then every day.

Reihan checkpoint 0740
By this hour most workers employed in industry have gone through. Now those working in shops and garages are arriving. Anyway they all have permits and their passage is fast. There is some movement in the direction of the west bank through the seam zone – women with children are going to visit relatives in Ya'bed or Jenin.
The lanscaping at the Reihan checkpoint is jarring; even the blooming cyclamens don't add any charm to this ugly park, created by the sins of looting, waste and contempt.

Neta from Jalame:

I collected A. and his invalid daughter at the Jalame checkpoint. The girl, aged five and a half, has been treated most of her life at Rambam hospital in Haifa and a rehabilitation center in Jerusalem. Her father is infinitely devoted to her and praises the treatment his daughter receives, as well as the consideration shown at the Jalame checkpoint, but he must make a living. While he has an entry permit to take care of his daughter, he cannot receive a permit to work in Israel, prevented by the Israeli security service. The reason for this, according to him, is that the army killed his cousin and he could possibly seek revenge.
The logic is obviously questionable since he regularly enters Israel for medical purposes, and might as well be employed.