'Anin, Barta'a-Reihan, Tura-Shaked, Thu 18.7.13, Afternoon

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Observers: 
Tzafrira Z., Neta G. (Reporting)
Jul-18-2013
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Afternoon

Translation: Bracha Ben-Avraham

 

14:50 – A'anin Checkpoint

The soldiers are here and they open the checkpoint a few minutes before 15:00 for a dozen farmers, four tractors, and one person on a bicycle. The checkpoint is manned by a woman soldier and five men: among them a captain, a lieutenant, and a first sergeant.  All are wearing helmets.  The soldiers are new and very serious, and take care to close the gate after each person crosses. One person explains to us that he is not detained, but merely "waiting".  He has things which he is not permitted to bring across, such as a broken television set, two used tires, and two small boxes, but we do not know what is inside them.  Our friend who cleans the checkpoints arrives for work, but the soldiers aren't acquainted with him.  They soon learn who he is and allow him to enter and go to work.    

 

15:50 – A man arrives late, but since the soldiers are still waiting for an answer regarding the one who is waiting, he is allowed to cross after being scolded for being late.

 

At 16:00 the answer arrived and the detainee was allowed to go home.

 

16:00 Shaked – Tura Checkpoint

As usual there is almost no traffic here at this hour.

 

16:30 – Reihan – Barta'a Checkpoint, Seamline Zone Side

The direct exit to the West Bank is closed and people have to cross through the terminal via the old crossing. We don't know why. There is a new shelter and a sign, but the turnstile is closed. There are a few families wearing festive clothes crossing together with the workers. Other families are crossing from the West Bank to the seamline zone.  Some of the workers are carrying bottles of soft drinks for the meal at the end of the day when they break their fast.

 

At 16:55 the turnstile at the entrance to the terminal is closed and a line and a crowd formed immediately of people waiting in line.  We called the inspectors and before we could call the checkpoint director the turnstile opened and people began to exit there rather than through the terminal.  We saw that there was a crowd next to the biometric checkpoint but we were unable to see the actual point from where we were standing.

 

17:15 – We left the checkpoint.  Workers are going down the sleeveinfo-icon.  It appears that there are fewer than usual, perhaps because of Ramadan.