Mevo Dotan (Imriha), Reihan, Shaked, Sun 29.5.11, Morning

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Observers: 
Ruthi T., Hassida S., (Reporting)
May-29-2011
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Morning

Translation: Bracha B.A.

Dotan Checkpoint, 08:30-08:50

The soldier at the checkpoint asked who we were and we showed him our tags.  He wished us luck.  Either he really wished us well or he did not really read the tags we showed him.  Cars pass through three at a time in each direction and the soldiers stop them briefly, peek inside, and they continue on their way.

Reihan Barta'a Checkpoint, 09:00 – 09:45

On our way to Reihan we passed through Emricha and saw an ass and its foal, and gave one of the women there three packages of used clothing.  We were embarrassed at her profuse and excited expressions of thanks.   Sami, the Bedouin whom we met at Reihan, on the other hand has demands:  He has one television set and wants another for his children.  He has 20 and looks no older than 30.  No he has no work.  What's to be done?  Allah will see to us. 

The parking lot is crowded with cars.  We watched three pedestrians enter the terminal and come out the other side in about five minutes.

A mobile medical clinic that we had seen administering medical treatment in Emricha a few minutes before emerged from the vehicle inspection area.   The driver opened the gate himself and reported that only today things had gone quickly, and continued on his way to other villages in the seamline zone.

At 09:30 three trucks with agricultural produce emerged.  The Palestinian workers who unload and reload produce after it is inspected opened the gate for us and waved to us in greeting.  The vehicle inspection facility is standing but has no roof yet.  There is a structure that looks like a wedding hall and we saw a white lily in flower in the garden nearby. 

Shaked-Tura Checkpoint, 09:55-10:05

We wanted to see what would happen if the gatesinfo-icon were about to close and someone came running to try and get through at the last minute, as sometimes happens at A'anin, but it did not happen.

There is a new group of soldiers and none of them seem to know what’s going on.  All three gates are locked until 12:00 when the children return from school. 

We spoke to the head of the Liaison and Coordination Administration about the need to open the checkpoint at 06:00 in the morning.  He explained that the hours had been agreed upon with the heads of the villages of Um A-Reihan and Dar al Malak, and that there was only a budget to open the checkpoints for three hours in the morning.  If they wanted it open at 06:00, it would have to be closed at 09:00.