'Anin, Barta'a-Reihan, Tura-Shaked
05:45 – Barta'a Reihan Checkpoint
A lot of workers have been checked and are waiting for their rides outside the checkpoint. A lot of Israeli vehicles are waiting for workers who have not yet been checked. There is no shade in the upper parking lot or anywhere to sit. People are sitting on the curb and it is very crowded. As usual we walked down to the lower parking lot because our driver, an Israeli Arab, is not permitted to drive to the other side to the West Bank in his car. The security guard stopped us and informed us that it is dangerous for us to walk across on the road. Instead we walked through the sleeve
through the route that bypasses the terminal. The lower parking lot is extremely crowded and there is a long line of people waiting to enter the terminal, which extends to the main road and divides into several lines. There are currently four windows operating inside the terminal and people report that things are moving very slowly. There was a commotion as several young Palestinians attempted to push their way to the front of the line, and the Palestinian security guard sent them to the end of the line.
06:15 – Our friend Ziad informed us that by 06:00 about 2,000 workers had crossed. About 3,500 to 4,000 workers cross here each day. According to Ziad, there is talk with the Barta'a municipality about building a shelter in the lower parking lot.
06:30 – About ten trucks are waiting on the side of the road for the vehicle inspection facility to open at 08:00.
On our way back to the upper parking lot we were stopped again by the security guard, who informed us that we would no longer be allowed to walk down to the lower parking lot. When we asked why the vehicle inspection opens only at 08:00 we were told that the hour was agreed upon with representatives of the drivers. We left the checkpoint at 06:30.
A'anin Checkpoint
The checkpoint opened at 06:20. Many people have already crossed and are on their way to harvest olives. At 06:45 many tractors are still driving across, some with wagons and some without. The wagons are filled with people – the olive harvest is a family affair. An elderly couple crosses with a donkey to their grove on the steep hillside below the checkpoint. Another young man whose grove is on the other side of the fenced area of the village is forced to go a long way around and back again to reach his fields. Another young man who attempted to cross to harvest olives in place of his sick parents was sent back because he had no permit. He reported that even representatives from the Liaison and Coordination Administration were unable to convince the soldiers to let him through to work in the harvest.
By 07:00 all 140 people had crossed.
07:25 – Tura Shaked Checkpoint
Most of the people have already crossed. People report that there is a good soldier who ensures that everyone crosses quickly. To everyone's satisfaction, the checkpoint opened on time. The children arrived and were not checked in the booth and crossed quickly.
We left at 07:35.