Reihan, Shaked, Sun 19.6.11, Afternoon

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Observers: 
Yochi A., Ruthi T. (Reporting)
Jun-19-2011
|
Afternoon

Translation: Bracha B.A.

Shaked-Tura Checkpoint, 12:25-13:10

An Israeli car is parked inside the area of the checkpoint (parents visiting?).  In the area of the tower a maintenance crew is digging and building something.  The driver of a Palestinian car greets us while threading his belt into his pants after being checked.   He gets into his car and drives up to the soldiers, who ask him how things are going, check him briefly, and he leaves.

There is light traffic in both directions.  Two cars drive up and workers get out.  Several 14-year olds get out and show the soldiers their bag.  One of them says that he has a permit.  The soldiers check the bag and they move on.

Cars arrive from the seamline zone.  Two women get out.  One is a young, carrying an infant wrapped in a blanket, and the other is older.   Another girl is with them.  It takes a long time until the mother is allowed to enter the inspection facility.  We call to the soldiers and remind them that a mother with a babyinfo-icon is waiting.  One of the soldiers goes to see what the problem is.  "Perhaps something happened to the computer."   Meanwhile the older woman sits down on the ground.   We note how long the inspection process takes for the mother and baby.  Evidently people also arrived from the West Bank with a baby together with a man with bags of zucchini.  It seems that the woman with the baby has been waiting long, but when she comes out it appears that the entire process took 15 minutes.   

More women and children cross in both directions.

Suddenly a woman soldier comes up to me.  I thought she was about to tell us to move back but instead she handed me a cold drink.  I was surprised and thanked her.

We left and gave the man with the bags of zucchini a ride.

Reihan-Barta'a Checkpoint, 13:20-4:00

On our way to the Bedouin village of Emricha to bring bags of used clothing we passed four military vehicles conducting an exercise.  The lower parking lot is full.  

We returned to the checkpoint.  Here, too, there’s construction work in the area of the vehicle inspection facility.    We listen to Y.M., a driver who is trying to make a living.   He and his wife live in Barta'a.  His wife has brain cancer and was operated on in Jordan and is now being treated in Jenin.  Her condition is serious and they have three children.   Her sister who has no children lives in Jenin and wants to help but has not received a permit to travel to Barta'a in the seamline zone.  We want to help them, and if anyone knows how we can help we have their names and contact information.

There is no one crossing the checkpoint and we left.