Reihan, Shaked, Ya'bed-Dotan, Sun 20.1.13, Morning
Naomi Gal – translation
Shaked – TuraCheckpoint 07:10
The checkpoint looks like a fortress, with an abundance of facilities and structures that keep sprouting in it. We could not make sense of the traffic light: if it is designed for drivers, why is it installed at such an angle that hides it from driver’s sight?
The passage from the West Bank to the Seam Zone began at 7:05, as we were told. When we arrived they removed the lock from the entrance gate to the sleeve that leads into the checkpoint.
The passage from one side to the other is slow because the computer doesn’t work and the registration is done manually. However, it seems that the occupation is well-organized and the flow of people in each direction is swift. I timed a Palestinian car from the West Bank to the Seam Zone - one minute!
A quite banal story: Ruthi talks with K., a resident of Kufr Araka who speaks Hebrew fluently. The man has plots in the Seam Zone and his work permit is about to expire in a day or two. You cannot request a renewal of the permit in advance, and so he loses several working days. K. worked for fifteen years at Kibbutz Ein Hashofet. His father worked for 35 years in the Harei Ephraim school. A while ago he was caught as an illegal in Umm al-Fahm and his work permit was revoked "contingently" for three months. He had already addressed DCO and asked for a renewal of his working-permit, as did his employer from Umm al-Fahm, but to no avail. He must work in order to support his children, and he asked for our help.
We did not see the kindergarten students or the teachers; winter break is probably still on.