Reihan, Shaked, Sat 30.7.11, Morning
Translation: Bracha B.A.
Shaked-Tura Checkpoint, 07:30-08:00
When we arrived at the checkpoint there was no traffic but within a short time people began to arrive and wait in front of the inspection facility, which serves people going in both directions. People had to wait about 15 minutes in order to go through. Since there are not a lot of people, there was not a long line.
08:10-08:50 – Reihan-Barta'a Checkpoint
When we arrived at the upper parking lot there were a lot of taxis waiting for people to come out – a sign that people are being held up in the terminal. When we got to the entrance people told us that they had been delayed inside for an hour! This hour from 07:00 – 08:00 is a busy time of day and there are two windows open but it appears that the delay is in the area that we cannot see inside the terminal. We didn't succeed in telephoning the people in charge and were unable to help. The car at the entrance to the inspection facility to the seamline zone has a new metal roof that looks like a double tent – a reminder of the tent cities of the social protest now taking place in Israel.
On this topic, the following notice from an Israeli Economic Journal:
A New Solution to the housing problem? The settlement of |Reihan is offering two-room apartments to families and young couple for only NIS 1,000 per month. The apartments are intended as temporary housing for one year for people interested in residing in the settlement, located in Shomron within the area of the separation barrier. The settlement presently houses 40 families and the new houses that are being developed are planned to save energy.
The settlement is offering 30 half-dunam (1/8 acre) plots for building one-storey cottages of 120-150 square meters at a cost of one million shekels and the apartments are designated tor potential members to become integrated into life in the community.
The houses were built with the possibility of enlarging them and building on another storey in the future and were designed according to the desires of the residents.