Jalama, Reihan, Shaked, Thu 29.11.12, Afternoon
Translator: Charles K.
15:30 Jalameh checkpoint
We brought a youth from RambamHospitalto the Jalameh checkpoint. We arrived late because we’d lost our way at the new Yagur interchange. A bus filled with women arrived at the same time, apparently wives of Palestinian prisoners returning from a visit to Israeli prisons. Two more buses arrived after we did. The checkpoint was congested. We continued immediately on our way.
16:10 Shaked-Tura checkpoint
Since we were running late, we didn’t observe the A’anin checkpoint. Light pedestrian traffic at the Shaked checkpoint.
16:30 Reihan-Barta’a checkpoint, Palestinian side
We crossed to meet with a Palestinian man. The parking lot is full, and the lot up the road is almost full also. We drove as far as the bridge, on both sides of which there are parking lots blocked by concrete barriers and an iron bar. About a dozen cars were parked in the southern lot and four in the northern one. Those parking here prefer not to make the long detour to reach the checkpoint by car, because of the barriers.
16:45 Reihan-Barta’a checkpoint, seam zone side
Five adult men, detained, sit on the bench at the terminal entrance. Only one window is open, so whoever crosses to the seam zone delays laborers returning in the other directionfrom Israelto the West Bankand a line forms. A second window opens and the line disappears. Suddenly the terminal gates
are closed for a minute and a line of about 30 people forms immediately. They open and the line disappears. One man says, “There aren’t many people when you’re here; when you’re not, there are a lot.” Another says that yesterday there were 200 people on line. It’s good we came.
17:05 The revolving gate opened for people with permits to work in Israel. Tired laborers continue flowing to the terminal through the fenced corridor. A line forms again. A third window opens (!). The detainees on the bench are gone.
17:20 We leave the checkpoint; there’s no line. Laborers keep arriving. We didn’t ask anyone about the “Palestinians’ 29thof November” (the UN vote granting the Palestinian Authority observer status), and no one mentioned it to us.