Barta'a-Reihan, Tura-Shaked, Ya'bed-Dotan, Sat 22.6.13, Morning
Translation: Yael Bassis-Student
0730 – 0800 Tura-Shaked
This morning traffic is heavier than usual. One person tells us that he has been waiting here since six a.m. and only now he has gone through (on Saturdays the gate opensonly at 7 am) A group of 15 teachers from Jenin crosses one by one; They came to examine pupils from Palestinian Bartra'a and are waiting for their transportation. Their passage has taken more than twenty minutes. The last one was the school principal who was holding an envelope with today's exams (English). They showed us the exam schedule - there are at least 10 exams, most of them already taken. The female teachers complain of the delay, the inspection and of how they are being treated at the checkpoint. They cross daily to supervise the exams, and they need to get to school on time. On several occasions they were denied passage and it is hard and humiliating.
0810 – 0850 Barta'a-Rihan checkpoint
Barta'a is also busier today than usual . Those coming out of the terminal report of many more still inside and inspection takes between half an hour to an hour for each person. Two windows are open and it looks like the problem is in the rooms inside and not at the windows.
0915 Ya'abed-Dotan checkpoint
We drove to see the situation at Ya'abed. As we came out of Barta'a we saw a convoy of 8 vehicles, loaded with merchandise, awaiting inspection as they arrive from the West Bank. Such a convoy is a rare sight on Saturdays. Usually it is not allowed to bring in goods on Sat. At Ya'abed checkpoint, each side receives ten minutes for passage while vehicles on the opposite side, wait.
Back to the Barta'a checkpoint, That same convoy of loaded vehicles is still awaiting inspection.
We're on the Jewish lane and sure enough cross over easily.