Reihan, Shaked, Sun 25.1.09, Morning

Translation: Devorah K.

"Today things are fine, thank God, with God's help it will be that way the whole day!" That is the way a worker on his way to work in the seamline zone greets us.

Many workers, men and women, are already waiting in the upper parking lot for their rides. Through the sleeve we observe the work of a policeman standing near his vehicle, "community policing", in the middle of the road. Drivers who have just emerged from the inspection shed are required to halt. The policeman glances into the vehicle, takes their documents for examination in the police car; they are returned quickly and the drivers are allowed to go on their way.

The gardeners are freshening the brown stones in the polished gardens. The signs that greet the new arrivals to the terminal direct the residents of the seamline zone to the path on the right and the residents of the West Bank to the path on the left. The logic behind this novelty is not clear in view of the fact that at the end of the paths there is only one turnstile (and usually only only one window) to serve those entering and leaving whether they are residents of the West Bank or of the seamline zone. Could it be that in the afternoon, when there are many people, there is some preferential treatment for one or the other group? We still hear complaints about the inefficient functioning of the biometric inspection and of workers being sent to Salem, losing some hours of work, in order to put their identification papers in order. 06:25 - The police car has disappeared in the meantime. About 30 workers are waiting for their rides. Nine pickup trucks with goods are waiting in the lower parking lot. 06:40 - Four cars enter the inspection shed. From the direction of the kennels we hear dogs barking.

The gates are open already. A yellow transit taxi goes through at a crazy speed in the direction of the seamline zone. Four cars are waiting on the other side. About 20 people are near the turnstile.The old man and his donkey emerge at two minutes to seven. Somebody notifies us that "Today things are perfect, today everything is like gold. But it's not that way every day." All the cars go through quickly. The pupils are still on vacation. At 07:10 we leave and that same yellow taxi - returns 'flying'.