Barta'a-Reihan, Tura-Shaked, Tue 26.3.13, Morning
Translation: Bracha B.A.
Shaked – Tura Checkpoint – 07:30—08:10
At about 07:20 we drove past the palestinian school at Um Riehan and saw the children entering the building. We are accustomed to coming here on Saturdays and we saw what things were like on a weekday.
There is a lot of activity in both directions at the checkpoint as compared to Saturdays. One person told us that a temporary checkpoint has been set up on the exit road from Yaabed, and as a result people have to make a lengthy detour and the drive, which usually takes 20 minutes, now takes two hours. It appears that no one is being delayed at this checkpoint. One driver got out of his car and returned after 12 minutes, turned around, and left. We did not find out why he was sent back. Another car passed through in five minutes, and a flock of goats also passed through quickly.
Reihan – Barta'a Checkpoint, 08:30-09:15
The parking lot is filled with drivers and taxis as well as a man selling coffee and cigarettes. There is a large crowd in front of the entrance to the terminal on the other side of people waiting to cross to the seamline zone. All these are things we do not see on Saturdays. There are two windows open. People told us about the temporary checkpoint at Yaabed and that it took them an hour and a half to drive the short distance. They had to drive 25 minutes to Reihan and then pass through all the checkpoints. Everyone coming out of the terminal expresses complaint and despair at the situation. At 08:40 there were fewer people entering the terminal, and we observed that it took about 20 minutes for people to pass through the terminal, and one window was closed. Apparently the crowd was caused by the delay at the checkpoint at Yaabed. Most of the traffic today is from the West Bank to the seamline zone and few people are crossing in the other direction.