Barta'a-Reihan, Tura-Shaked

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Observers: 
Rachele H. and Noga L. (reporting). Marcia L., Translation
Jan-13-2018
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Morning

06:50 – 07:35 – Tura-Shaked Checkpoint
The soldiers arrived right on time, at 07:00, to open of the checkpoint to traffic. 

They open the gatesinfo-icon and turn on the equipment. On the West Bank side, a number of people and vehicles were already waiting to pass through. Still, no one moves; the line on the West Bank side is getting longer and everyone enters the inspection room. As yet, no one has come out. It looks like there is a problem with the computer. At present, all the people find themselves again in a long line and it looks like the inspection is done manually.
The first ones come out only at 07:30 (!) and tell us that, indeed, there is a problem with the electricity/computer. The passage is slow at the beginning but improves with time. The vehicles now also succeed in passing through. Today, relatively few pass through and return, but in spite of that, there is a great delay. This technical difficulty appears to happen at times around our Shabbat shift and it is not clear why no suitable solution is found.

07:45 – 08:15 – Barta’a-Reihan Checkpoint
The upper parking lot is completely filled with taxis, other cars, and people. However, in the descent down the sleeveinfo-icon (the enclosed wire fence leading to the terminal) there doesn’t appear to be many people. Inside the terminal 4 inspection windows are open and there seems to be no line. It appears that there are relatively few people and indeed, one man tells us that they didn’t renew the permits for passage to thousands of people; people cannot go to work and therefore don’t come to the checkpoint.  “Do something!” he tells us.
On the way back up the sleeve to the parking lots, most of the people and cars already passed through.