'Anin, Shaked, Mon 14.4.08, Morning
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Observers:
Hannah A., Neta J. (reporting)
Apr-14-2008
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Morning
Translation: Devorah K.
06:20 A'anin CP
We arrived a little late and already on the way to the CP one of those going through told us that "Today things are actually fine. We thought there would be difficulties because of Passover. But no ... " They are marking the holiday early. The "fine" that we encountered still meant very slow traffic. About a dozen people were delayed in order to have the validity of their permits checked.
06:30 The soldiers close the lower gate on the A'anin side. Dozens of people are waiting between the gates
; five are detained.
; five are detained.
07:10 The telephone checks of the soldiers make the tempo even slower. People lose their patience and advance; the soldiers push them back. Two women want to return to A'anin. One of them left a baby at home. They have to wait until everybody goes through. We drive to the Shaked CP.
at home. They have to wait until everybody goes through. We drive to the Shaked CP.
07:15 Shaked-Tura CP
The schoolchildren go through to Tura across the fence. The soldiers look into the schoolbags of the little children as well. Two women who arrive in a taxi from the seamline zone, one of them with a baby in her arms, are not required to enter the inspection pavilion and go through to the West Bank immediately after their documents are inspected. Two herds go through, one to the area between the fences and the second to the seamline zone. A few farmers are waiting on the other side of the fence.
07:45 We returned to A'anin
07:45 We returned to A'anin
Not very much has changed. A smaller number of people are waiting; the number of detainees is larger. Two tractors go through. Each one is towing a tiny cart with three women in it. Picturesque but not very secure. In one of the carts the railing fell off and the women almost fell out.
is larger. Two tractors go through. Each one is towing a tiny cart with three women in it. Picturesque but not very secure. In one of the carts the railing fell off and the women almost fell out.
An additional military car arrives. An officer and a soldier get out of it. They do not help their colleagues, but are there to watch so that the people do not pass the middle gate.
08:15 Three detainees are ordered to go back to the village. They have to wait until all have gone through before the gate to A'anin is opened for them.
08:45 Eight people are still waiting to go through and another seven are detained.
08:55 Great! The ispection of one man showed that his documents are valid and the man is allowed to go through!
09:10 Another happy person goes through. Three older people are still waiting for the results of the 'clarification.' The soldier who is on guard is standing in the concrete hut with his weapon at the ready turned toward them.
09:25 Everybody has gone through except three detainees. Those who wanted to go back to the village are allowed to return.
09:45 The three people are not allowed to go through. They return to the village. They have waited for nothing. One says to the officer, "thank you very much."
09:50 The soldier and the officer lock the gate and explain to us that this morning 43 people went through and about a dozen were turned back because there is no sign that they had returned from this CP during any of the last few days. True, they had tried to find out if those people had returned from another CP (and if so, they were allowed to go through) but that takes a long time. We said that it is not reasonable for the passage of 43 people to take such a long time. The officer, patient and courteous, said that everyone who arrives by 06:30 and has a valid permit, goes through. We suggested that perhaps they could try to speed the passage up. Perhaps some additional staff will come to help with the inspection ..... perhaps ...
10:00 Reihan-Barta'a CP
10:00 Reihan-Barta'a CP
Very few people going through at this hour. We could not find out if there is any improvement in the procedures in the terminal because of the new piece of equipment.
The drivers in the upper and the lower parking lots tell us that the people from Barta'a are not going through to the West Bank because they are afraid of the people in Kabatiyeh. The Kabatiyeh resident who died in Barta'a during the night between the 6 and the 7 of April has been buried, but the cause of his death has not yet been determined.
10:20 We left the CP and drove through East Barta'a. At the entrance to the village a policeman stopped us. When he saw the tags of Machsomwatch, he told us to go ahead. He did not ask for documents. We have some pull!