Reihan, Shaked, Wed 15.4.09, Morning

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Observers: 
Sarit, Rachel H. (reporting)
Apr-15-2009
|
Morning

Translation: Bracha

Last day of the Passover Holiday

Reihan Checkpoint: 06:55

Two vans are waiting in the upper parking lot.  The gate in the middle of the checkpoint is still closed.  There are Israeli flags and flags of the checkpoint management company on the flagpoles.  What are they building on the eastern side of the road near the dog kennels?  Today it looks like the container that is standing there has been covered with yellow plaster.

07:00: The checkpoint staff are on their way to their positions, all dressed in their blue uniforms.  The announcement:  “Good morning.  Passage is beginning” sounds and the yellow gate opens.

We hear rhythmic calls of “Futu hamsa!  Sakkar el baab!”  (Come in five at a time! Shut the door!”)   A lineup can be seen accumulating at the end of the sleeveinfo-icon at the entrance to the terminal.

07:10: The first people are coming out of the sleeve at the entrance to the terminal and report “Everything is OK today.”  Later we hear that “Everything is awful!” and the repeated question of “What kind of life is this?” voiced by the seamstresses (whom we have not seen for several Saturdays and holidays).  We also hear complaints about the crowds and lots of people inside.  The partition is closed inside the terminal and one window is open.

It takes 15-20 minutes for a person to get from the entrance (“Futu hamsa!” – Come in five at a time!) to the terminal and to go out through the sleeve.  The lineup going out of the rooms to the window is long and people are waiting.

08:00 – Another window is opened.

08:20 – There is no need for another window.
In the vehicle shed the rate of inspection is as usual.  There are no cars waiting in line.  There are 8 transits in the upper parking lot.  From conversations with people coming out it appears that they knew about the holiday and the alterations in schedule for the day.

One of the people coming out approached us about a permit that was taken from his uncle because he left from Shaked Checkpoint and came back in at Reihan.  He asked that if anyone knew what to do about it that they call him.

We left at 08:30.