'Anin, Reihan, Shaked, Sun 28.10.12, Morning
Translation: Devora K.
6:30 A'anin CP
We came here hoping to find the gates open and people going through to olive-picking or to visits to families on this holiday (Id el Adha) but to our astonishment, the gates were locked and there was complete quiet throughout. We called the DCO a few times in the course of the day, they answered courteously but kept telling us over and over again, to call later, when an officer would be able to answer our questions. We could not get any indication of whether the CP would be open today.
6:40 Shaked/ Tura CP
On the way to the CP we saw two women with baskets and tools. They were apparently on their way to picking olives. The CP is open, the soldiers are at their posts, but nobody is going through.
6:45 A herd of goats arrives with an old man who is their shepherd. We greet him, wishing him a happy holiday and he explains that the correct greeting is 'happy new year' (KulA'am wa -intum b'her)
A young boy on a bicycle, a son of the family that lives in the lonely house (stuck between the CP and the Shaked settlement) is turning on the road. He speaks Hebrew which he learned from the soldiers. He says that they will be going back to school on Thursday. He sent his regards to Noa who took care of getting electricity to their house.
A few workers arrive and are picked up by the car that was waiting for them.
7:10 We left.
7:20 Reihan/ Barta'a CP
A few of the CP gates are closed. They tell us that today the gates and the vehicle inspection pavilion open at 8:00.
Families with women and children arrive; there is a queue near the CP. The parking lot is almost empty nor are there any trucks with goods at the sides of the road..
A family carrying long sticks for picking olives crosses the parking lot but does not go through the terminal. Instead they continue in the parking lot toward the west and disappear on the other side of the shed.
8:00 The CP opens and people go through quickly in groups of ten, and afterwards in groups of five. From the other side as well people arrive and all of them crowd on one path. Sometimes it is inconvenient for women to be pushed among those who are waiting. It is not clear why the gate for those coming from the other side does not open.
8:15 All of them have gone through the terminal and up above it is possible to see the first of those emerging from the terminal in the direction of the seamline zone. We leave and pick up A., mother of the girl who is in the Rambam Hospital. She is going to take the place of the father who is taking care of their daughter. At home -- the children miss their father and Id el Adha was a very sad holiday for them.