Jalama, Rihan

Jalama, Rihan, Sunday, January 23, 2005, AMObservers: Chasida S., Netta G. (reporting)Jalama, 06:45-7:30Only few Palestinians go to work in Israel today, "Because of the holiday and due to the weather," we are told.Since there is a shed being built above the inspection facility, the Palestinians now go through the outside lane instead of the inspection facility itself.We went to the post on the road, and Sergeant A. told us, to our surprise, that they had received an order allowing us to go to the waiting shed. He even sent us to go through the inspection lane.Following another clarification, it was made clear to us that we are supposed to go through the checkpoint that is on the road. So we moved into the waiting shed, which was empty. We looked around and saw barbed wire between the shed and the parking lot nearby, and there was a ditch between the parking lot and the inspection facility.Rihan, 08:20 - 9:50Sparse movement of both pedestrians and vehicles.A group of women and two men from the village of Ya'abed wants to cross to east Barta'a for the funeral of an uncle of one of the women. Of course, they have no permits. We called the District Coordination Office (DCO), but to no avail, because there were no officers on site (they too, celebrate Id al-Adha). Captain S. answered his cell phone, saying that the head of the municipality of Barta'a gave a list of those attending the funeral procession and at this time the list was being checked.In the meantime, the pedestrian traffic had increased. They were mostly women and children with the proper permits. A woman from Jenin, holding an entrance permit into Israel, but not through Rihan, wasn't allowed in.Those waiting to go to the funeral were losing their patience and so were the soldiers, who kept sending them back to the waiting shed. Another call to Captain S. made it clear that the list was still being checked. After we left the CP, we called the head of the Barta'a municipality and found out that those people were still waiting. It was already noon. When they were finally allowed in, they were too late for the funeral.