Reihan, Wed 25.1.12, Morning

Four trucks waited for inspection prior to entering the Seam Line zone. At 10:30 they entered the inspection area. At the Palestinian car park many drivers waited for passengers.

Workers and merchants from Barta'a have arrived, as usual with the required permits. They entered the terminal and went through all but one, a resident of Zebeida, in the West Bank, whose origins are from East Barta'a, in the Seam Line zone. He came with his six-year-old son. The man holds a valid work permit in the Seam Line zone and his son is registered on his I.D. He and his son wanted to visit his mother, the grandmother, who lives in East Barta'a. He was not allowed to cross with his son.

We were unable to get hold of Sharon the checkpoint manager, and instead we called the Salem DCO, where we were given a telephone number for public appeals at Beth-El. The answer given to us there was that the man has a work permit that does not include his son, and for a visit he needs to apply for a special permit.

There were talk about children's kidnapping etc. The man and his son returned home to Zbeida.