'Anin, Reihan, Shaked, Sun 27.11.11, Afternoon

Translation: Bracha B.A.

14:55 – A'anin Checkpoint

8 workers are waiting at the checkpoint.  The soldiers arrive precisely at 15:00 and the checkpoint opens at 15:05.  By 15:20 about 30 workers have crossed quickly and without mishap.  A tractor arrives to collect workers and sacks of olives from the seamline zone.  When I complained about the litter around the gate, I was told "Ask the IDF spokesman."

15:30 – Shaked Tura Checkpoint

A woman and five children are walking from the checkpoint to Dahar-al-Malakh.  A man is standing next to the inspection booth door, trying again and again to open it.  A van brings a worker to the checkpoint.  By 16:00 four cars have crossed.  Several cars drove families up to the gate and then left. A woman who has come from Barta'a is looking for her ID card in a large, torn, empty bag.  She looks lost and about ready to give up.  Meanwhile a patient, elderly man arrives from the West Bank and finds the ID card that had fallen through a tear into the lining of the bag.  We hugged each other happily.  At 16:00 the checkpoint was quiet.  A teenager and boy from Tura, aged about 12 and 15, return slowly to the checkpoint after working in the olive groves.    

 16:15 – Reihan-Barta'a Checkpoint

There are about 25 people next to the turnstile.  Two windows are open and everyone gets through in about 5 minutes.  Two women are sent back and forth between the two windows and the bench, but are finally allowed through.  At 16:38 a group of 20 workers arrives. The entire group goes through within a minute.  Someone asks me if I heard about the "war" in Tibeh, meaning the Ephraim Gate.  He arrived there at 04:00 in the morning and got through only at 07:30.  Another worker said that he had also been there in the morning and had gotten to work very late because of the delay.  They asked us to do something about it.