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

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Observers: 
Tzafrira Zamir, Neta Golan (reporting). Translation: Bracha Ben-Avraham
Aug-20-2015
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Morning

 

05:55 – Barta'a Reihan Checkpoint

Many workers sit on the curb on the seamline zone side waiting for rides to work.  A few have found seats on benches in the small playground area and at the entrance to the terminal.  The parking lot on the Palestinian side is still empty.  Dozens of workers crowd around the turnstile at the entrance to the terminal.  The turnstile starts and stops periodically and each time it stops a line of 50-70 people forms.  B., an acquaintance tells us that the checkpoint has not been running efficiently lately and that it takes 40-50 minutes to get through.   This makes him late for work in the Shahak industrial zone.  Luckily for him his ride is waiting.  A sign hanging next to the turnstile has a picture of a drill and the hour 10:00 and instructions in Arabic.  We are told that the sign says that people are permitted to bring tools through the checkpoint only after 10:00.  Only one person crosses to the West Bank through the turnstile.

 

At 06:25 groups of workers continue to arrive.  The Palestinian parking lot is filled and cars are parked along the road as well.  Workers on the seamline zone side are waiting for rides to work and other cars are waiting for people who have not yet crossed. 

 

06:35 – A'anin Checkpoint

The gatesinfo-icon of the checkpoint are already open.  An army vehicle is parked near the middle gate and a vehicle from the Liaison and Coordination Administration is standing between it and the gate on the seamline zone side.  People begin to cross within five minutes.  They are first checked by the soldiers and then by the soldier from the Liaison and Coordination Administration.  We were not able to clarify why people had to be checked twice today except for the explanation that a farmer gave us that perhaps they were looking for forged permits.  Evidently people from the Liaison and Coordination Administration found something.  A young man who was checked by the soldiers was sent back.  By 07:00 everyone who had come to the checkpoint had crossed.  

 

07:10 – Shaked – Tura Checkpoint

The checkpoint is open and people are crossing to the seamline zone one by one.  It has already been a week since the computer broke down!  A resident of Tura, whose land is located in the seamline zone, says that the checkpoint opened on time, but that the inspections take longer without the computer.  Another person claims that things are "good;" an ironic definition of good.

 

At 07:30 we left an irritating checkpoint with a lot of superfluous equipment and a broken computer.