Reihan, Shaked, Sat 28.6.08, Morning

07:10 Reihan Checkpoint
Three vans are waiting for produce check in the upper parking lot.
The yellow gate on the road at the centre of the checkpoint is still closed. After an announced "good morning" the entry gate to the terminal opens. Perhaps 100 are men crowded and jostling behind it. A repeated scene of people bursting through the gate (mostly because of the pressure behind), and the authoritarian "groups of five," and the obstinate total closing of the gate despite the outside pressure.
30-40 pass, then comes the order, "now the women." How can they pass? How can they get to the gate when 50 men are hanging on to it? The gate keeper is adamant: "five women, then five men..." The line organises itself according to this order.

07:35 – the last one enters
In the hut are nine piles of eggs. The coffee is lukewarm and bad (this should be the only aberration at this infuriating place). Four cars being checked by a dog and its keeper. The bus from Bartaa is inspected. A few of the passengers wait on the benches.

07:40 – the first exit from the terminal to the upper parking loy (Seam Zone side).

Six vans waiting for passengers.

08:00 – the seamstresses emerge 40 minutes after entering.

08:25 – the last of this morning’s waiting crowd comes out (50 minutes). The people rush to their rides to work. One tells us, "today is fast," while another complains about the lost hour of work. One of the seamstresses also says they will be late for work.

Somebody waits by the Military Police post, not allowed to pass. They have already checked him, and he is not allowed in. He says he crosses every day, and the Salem DCO also confirmed that his permit is valid. So what do they want of him? We didn’t manage to talk to him, nor did we really see him, only heard his words and saw the Military Policeman in his post – apparently the one who answered him. We leave while they are still talking.

A worker collects the cigarette stubs and cleans the toilets (a skinny toilet roll in the women’s lavatory).

08:40 Shaked Checkpoint
Sparse traffic. A taxi, a family, two students. As we passed the gate, a soldier came over and requests that we not pass...?? We didn’t argue.

09:00 – we left.