Reihan, Shaked, Tue 13.12.11, Morning
Translation: Yael S.
5:55 - Reihan checkpoint
Only a few workers wait for transportation. They report a very slow passage "because there are new workers" and indeed, it is now 06:10 and, different from other days, the many seamstresses who come out report a prolonged inspection.
One of those going through tells me that on Friday at 11:00 he was hit by an Israeli car as he was coming out of the checkpoint, and that the car drove away fast through the vehicles' gate to one of the settlements . An Israeli ambulance took him to the Dotan checkpoint and they called a Red Crescent ambulance which took him to a hospital in Jenin. Despite all the cameras around he was unable (of course) to obtain the license plate number of that car.
6:15- It is quiet by the windows at the terminal but I do hear noise on the other end which is a sign of crowding, and indeed those coming out say that passage is extremely slow.
The drinking water faucet is still out of order.
Another story I've heard - on Saturday a taxi driver was harrassed because he dropped off passengers in a place that didn't appeal to the checkpoint workers, who confiscated his I.D card temporarily. When he came back and tried driving his passengers through the vehicles' inspection post (he holds a valid permit for that) he was told that he cannot drive through. He started arguing with them, which ended in his being beaten up so badly that he'd passed out. He was taken to the hospital and is still unable to move.
The incident was reported to "BeTselem".
7:00 - Shaked checkpoint
Many gates are open and people from the West Bank are entering, in tens. We were told that there were at least 50 people there. Passage is swift.
People from the Seam Line zone also go through quickly in their cars.
School pupils go through without inspection.