'Anin, Barta'a-Reihan, Tura-Shaked

15:05 – 17:00

Checkpoint Anin – 15:05

The checkpoint is closed.  In front of the gate are 3 tractors and 9 people fainting from the heat, waiting to pass to the village.  At 5:15, a car from Matak (District Civil Liaison Offices) arrived and the soldiers of the checkpoint say that children threw stones at the soldiers’ car; because of that, the opening of the checkpoint was delayed. At 15:20, the checkpoint was opened.  Pedestrians pass quickly; 2 tractors pass. The third tractor, loaded with sacks and chairs, is held up.  It turns out that there was a new television on the truck that the Palestinian bought in an (Israeli) city near Umm-El-Fahm.  From the screams of the woman soldier and from the reaction of the Palestinian, we understand that Matak demands a photograph of the television.  The photo is passed over, the telephone clarification with Matak continues, the permit to pass doesn’t arrive.  In the end, they take the Palestinian’s permit and at 16:10, they send him with the tractor to the back and close the checkpoint.  This event, with all its confusion, typifies what happens when an Israeli soldier doesn’t speak Arabic and a Palestinian doesn’t speak Hebrew.  The Palestinian told us that because he is over 55 years of age, he is allowed to go into the Israeli sector without a special permit, also at that agricultural checkpoint. In a clarifying discussion with Matak, we were told that the Palestinian isn’t allowed to go into Israel through the agricultural checkpoint, and that he is only allowed to take the television through the Riehan checkpoint because the television is “merchandise.”  We passed on what Matak had stated, but he (the Palestinian) was angry (also at us) and insisted that he will only cross at that checkpoint.  In the end we had to leave him and left the checkpoint at 16:30.

Checkpoint Shaked-Tura – 16:35

The garbage bins at the entrance to the checkpoint were not emptied and the garbage was still overflowing at the brim.  Workers return to their homes in Geda from the area of the seamline and one man returned from Jenin to his home in the area of the seamline.

Checkpoint Reihan-Barta’a – 16:50

An unending line of cars bring workers who are returning from their jobs in Israel and from the seamline.  Beside the cars there isn’t any heavy traffic and the passage is quick.  There are few people returning from the direction of West Bank.