Barta'a-Reihan, Tura-Shaked, Ya'bed-Dotan
Shaked-Tura 15:30
The checkpoint is quiet. A family is waiting for transportation to the seamline zone. The DCO car leaves and the officer is waiving to us. One more car crosses the checkpoint and then the quiet returns. The surrounding area is much cleaner this time. We leave.
Yabed- Mavo Dotan 16:15
The Jeep – which is usually parking next to the locked gate at the foot of Yabed - is missing. We park. A private car crosses the checkpoint at high speed, so we understand that there are no guards today. Anybody crossing the checkpoint is free to drive on quickly and happily without being stopped. Some of them stop, though. Maybe there is a soldier there, waving them through.
We get closer to the checkpoint. Some reserve soldiers are inside. One of them comes down to us. We tell him we hope for his sake that he won't have to serve too many days as a reserve soldier but he answers that it's not up to him. We say he is wrong and remind him of the elections next week.
Barta'a – Reihan 16:40
Lots of cars are parked wherever there’s space. The security guards let us through without checking us. We park in the upper parking area and walk to the terminal. People are crossing without delay. The machines are functioning.
17:00 We leave.