Farmer near the Tora checkpoint: "74 years old and still working hard"
14:30 – Junction of East Barta’a
Across from the breach in the separation fence, an urban market of fruits and toys developed, at which all the residents of the area, Jews and Arabs, join in.
We passed Barta’a Checkpoint that was crowded with vehicles and from there we continued on to Harish Checkpoint. Next to Emricha Junction, a combine of grains stood on the road, facing west, as three soldiers stand around it. One of the soldiers pointed his weapon at the driver. We stopped and approached. The combine belongs to the Arab factory on the road from Jenin to Tulkarm. We wondered why the soldiers were stopping it and not the police. The soldiers took the driver’s identity card to inspect it. They delayed him for about an hour and then let him go. That’s the Occupation; soldiers, instead of the police, are busy with citizens.
15:45 – Barta’a-Reihan Checkpoint
Workers arrive at the checkpoint on their way home. H., a young man, approaches and asks for help with obtaining and or a renewal of a permit to enter Israel.
16:10 – Tura-Shaked Checkpoint
As always, we hear complaints about delays of up to 40 minutes in crossing. A soldier explains that the delays follow inspection of those who cross the checkpoint: are they immunized against Corona or not. An older man (“I am 74 years old and work hard; what can you do?”), his wife and son plant tobacco by hand in the nearby field and water from pails, complaining about the hard work.
16:35 - We leave Tura.
We stop at Hirbat al- Ra’adiya. We saw many solar panels on all the roofs of the houses. We greeted our friends, the owners of the grocery. It happens that their children, who live in Ramallah, in Nablus, and in London, along with their neighbor’s son—5 houses in all—took out a large loan from the bank, and with it financed the solar panels. Now they're waiting for batteries from Dubai to shut down the electricity generated by day, for use at night. We were delighted and we toasted with a cup of tea in honor of the occasion.
17:30 – We ended our shift and hurried home.