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

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Observers: 
Revital S., Rachel H. (reporting, photos), a guest from Japan. Translator: Marcia L.
Nov-10-2015
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Afternoon

 

Barta’a-Reihan Checkpoint  14:50 – 15:20

One minibus is parked at the upper exit from the sleeveinfo-icon. From here it is possible to see that the lower parking lot is full.  Israeli transports bring workers who get off at the fenced path (sleeve) to the terminal on the way home to the West Bank.  The people meet us kindly, say hello. The passage is quick. Inside the terminal one window is open. 

Tura Checkpoint 15:30 – 15:50

A few cars and pedestrians pass in two directions.  A young man with an 8-months-old child waits for his uncle from Umm-Reihan.

 

A resident of Nazlet Zeid (the West Bank) passes to visit his daughter and her family in Daher El Malec (the Seam Line).  The man is the principal of a high school, is happy about the presence of a visitor from Japan, and opens a conversation on the need for a quiet life.  He says that the checkpoint will be locked exactly at 19:00 and in order to return home he will have to arrive before that.

In the area of the checkpoint there are, it appears, 6-8 soldiers who just walk around, wasting their time and our tax money.

 

Anin Checkpoint  16:00 – 17:00

There are many people waiting next to the locked gate of the checkpoint.  Women, men, young people, tractors, donkeys.  The people greet us, happy to see other faces.  They recognize Shula and Neta, especially.  One of them suggested selling us olive oil.  The tractors are loaded with used furniture. Two women asked if we could help them with the harvest.

 

All the sacks of olives that had been picked today were loaded with collective help, including our Japanese visitor, on one tractor.  On each sack was an identifying mark of the owner. 

 

The gate was opened a little after 16:00.  An army vehicle arrives with 3-4 soldiers whose faces are covered. A young man told us that one of the soldiers, who speaks Arabic, joined in cursing them and didn’t speak to them nicely.

 

At first the women passed, and then the gate was closed until the tractor with the olives passed. Afterward, groups of pedestrians passed in groups of five.  After them passed the tractor with used furniture, which was detained for a short inspection. In another tractor used clothing was found, which was not allowed to pass.  A representative of the Liaison and Administration Coordination:  “For security reasons it is forbidden to transfer a computer through here and I am not going to prison for him. . .  Those are the instructions and that is the end of it. . . If it were up to me . . . it could pass.”

16:45– Everyone who was waiting had passed.  A van arrives with an officer.  The soldiers come and, in deference to our feelings, they uncover faces; thus it was possible to respond to their questions and arrive at an understanding that there is no agreement on anything relating to the statement on our tags, “No to checkpoints.”

 

16:50– We left.  The man from the Liaison and Administration Office said that they would stay until 17:00.  It began to get dark and it was cold.  On the way we saw two young men who were walking to the checkpoint.  We returned and saw that indeed, the soldiers were still there and the young men passed through.