'Anin, Reihan, Shaked, Thu 27.12.07, Morning

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Observers: 
Sima S., Raya Z. (reporting)
Dec-27-2007
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Morning

06:10 - 07:20 Aanin Checkpoint

It's cold. We talk with a number of women and youngsters who have already passed.

One of the women passes with a babyinfo-icon wrapped in a blanket. They tell us that they came early, already at 04:00, apparently to get a place in line. One of the youngsters says that his brother's permit was confiscated on the contention that his ID card was a forgery.

Later they tell us that the soldiers are detaining a boy who they have ordered to sit on the ground and wait. We talk with one of the soldiers, after which the boy is moved some distance away from the gate, and assigned his "personal" guard - it is not clear why. They tell us it's a forged ID. A phone call to the DCO elicits the information that the soldiers deny holding a detainee.

Recently I have encountered stories of forged IDs time and time again. It is not clear why there is this hunt for forged IDs. Later I ask on the phone, and they tell me that he has been taken wherever they take detaineesinfo-icon, and was finally returned home in good shape that same day.

Passage is slow, but we are promised that all would pass.

At 07:20, we leave, after being told that a few score are waiting between the first and second gatesinfo-icon.

07:20 - 07:40 Shaked Checkpoint

Quiet. The children have apparently all crossed. One taxi is waiting, and passes. A few farm workers cross from Tura to the Seam Zone. We didn't stay.

07:50 - 09:00 Reihan

Quiet. I go to photograph the security guards at the vehicle checkpoint, and a discussion starts about what is permissible or forbidden.

A woman soldier with large earrings (said she was a regular) descends from the Hummer standing by the lower parking lot and comes to interrogate us as to what are we doing here (it's the Palestinian side of the checkpoint). The rest of the soldiers wait in the Hummer. It's the first time I see a soldier, male or female, approach us in the parking lot without fear or a weapon.

Four double-cabin trucks in the lot, four cars being checked in the white hut, four cars waiting. Few people passing.

We leave.