Barta'a-Reihan

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Leah R., Ana N.S. Translation: Yael Bassis-Student

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Jan-21-2014

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Morning

06:10 Rihan-Barta'a checkpoint

On our way to the sleeve info-icon we see several trucks leaving the premises after inspection. In the sleeve itself there are many people going up on their way to work at the Seam Line zone, or in Israel. Men put on their belts as they walk or talk on the phone, cigarettes in their mouths. 'What's going on inside?"

According to some people, inspection is quick but there are many people inside at this time and waiting in line is long. More and more people come out of the terminal, looking angry and worried to be late for their ride. Is there a way to shorten the line in the morning?

Two windows are open inside. Within an hour 170 people, mostly young, age 30+, pass.

Seamstresses are running late for their jobs in Barta'a. According to them they number is 70-80 women.

A few return home from their night's shift.

Another example of taking advantage of Palestinian workers in Israel : One of the workers tells us that his father and two others had worked at Katzir as tile layers, with a work permit. In their first month of employment the employer paid their salary but in the second month, they worked two weeks and then he told them that he ran out of money and can't pay them. They had turned to Kav-La'Oved but to no avail. We shall try to help them.

07:10 We go down to the car park. The stream of those coming out weakens. Another group of vehicles drives out of the inspection area. More and more cars arrive at the car park , unload passengers and drive back at an assembly line pace. People are seen for a moment inside the sleeve and then are swallowed in the maze inside the terminal.

07:30 We pick up the sick child, Ali, and his mother, and drive them over to the hospital in Haifa for an emergency exam. His bad condition is heartbreaking.

Location Description

Barta’a-Reihan Checkpoint

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This checkpoint is located on the Separation Fence route, east of the Palestinian town of East Barta’a. The latter is the largest Palestinian community inside the seam-line zone (Barta’a Enclave) in the northern West Bank. Western Barta’a, inside Israel, is adjacent to it. The Checkpoint is open all week from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Since mid-May 2007, the checkpoint has been managed by a civilian security company subordinate to the Ministry of Defense. People permitted to cross through this checkpoint into and from the West Bank are residents of Palestinian communities inside the Barta’a Enclave as well as West Bank Palestinian residents holding transit permit. Jewish settlers from Hermesh and Mevo Dotan cross here without inspection. A large, modern terminal is active here with 8 windows for document inspection and biometric tests (eyes and fingerprints). Usually only one or two of the 8 windows are in operation. Goods, up to medium commercial size, may pass here from the West Bank into the Barta’a Enclave. A permanent registered group of drives who have been approved by the may pass with farm produce. When the administration of the checkpoint was turned over to a civilian security firm, the Ya’abad-Mevo Dotan Junction became a permanent checkpoint. . It is manned by soldiers who sit in the watchtower and come down at random to inspect vehicles and passengers (February 2020).