Barta'a-Reihan, Tura-Shaked, Sun 22.9.13, Afternoon

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Observers: 
Hassida S., Ruthi T., Translation: Bracha B.A.
Sep-22-2013
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Afternoon

14:30-15:50

14:30 – 15:50 – Reihan – Barta'a Checkpoint

Laborers and seamstresses are descending the sleeveinfo-icon to the terminal on their way back to the West Bank after their work day.  There is a congregation of women behind the turnstile next to the booth for crossing permits.  We go in after them.  It appears that the registration machinery is not working properly.  We see a security guard looking from the position above the terminal and he promises that the matter will be taken care of.    After a few minutes people begin to cross through quickly and a woman comes, places her ID on the machine, places her palm, presses a button, and the machine beeps and issues a permit to cross. We peeked into the terminal and saw a lot of people, mostly women and children, sitting on the floor.  We were told that today magnetic ID cards are being issued to residents of the seamline zone.  We followed the workers to the lower parking lot.      The guards would not let us walk back through the vehicle crossing and we were pleased that they asked us to cross through the terminal.  We were therefore able to observe the terminal from inside.   The women we saw before told us that they had been waiting since 08:00 in the morning – some of them were nursing babies.   ON our way out we were told by a security guard that we were not supposed to be in the terminal in the first place.

 

15:30 – Shaked – Tura Checkpoint

Everything is quiet and a few people and cars crossed through.  The garbage around the large container has still not been removed.