ברטעה-ריחן, טורה-שקד, יעבד-דותן

15:30 – Tura-Shaked Checkpoint

The checkpoint looks quiet, dirty, and sleepy as usual, but suddenly it wakes up:  a tractor returns from the field,  a woman and a young girl return from the West Bank, and cars pass from one side to the other.  The “Fabric of Life” Checkpoint, such as it is. 

We pass by Barta’a Checkpoint.  In the long (enclosed) sleeve that leads down from the parking lot to the terminal, there are already many workers on their way home.  The parking lots are full of cars, as are the two sides of the adjacent road. About ten private cars wait on the road to the inspection station.

16:00 – Ya’bed-Dotan Checkpoint

The face of the checkpoint has changed little;  they moved the cement cubes and therefore there is less zig-zagging; the gate that blocked the bypass road is open now (the gate is thrown on the ground).  Thus, the cars that arrive from the direction of Area A, are able to bypass the checkpoint via this road.  Transparent cubicles, whose function is unclear, were installed on two large cement installations, and a new-old shed appeared on the spot.  Two soldiers come down from the pillbox in order to express their concern about our well-being.  According to them, two weeks ago, someone was run over.

16:30 – Barta’a-Reihan Checkpoint, the Palestinian Side

We paved our way through the crowded and noisy parking lot. We hear complaints about laborers who work in Israel and who are prohibited to pass through this checkpoint. They have to cross via breaches in the fence at 4:00 am.; sometimes they are caught by the Border Patrol, and there were instances of shots fired at their legs.  We are amazed by all the cars that pile up in the expanse of the checkpoint.  At the exit, the female security guard who sits in her booth, says with enthusiasm that the checkpoint is open to all those who have permits, from 5:00 am to 5:00 pm.  After 5:00 pm, the passage to the West Bank is via the vehicle checkpoint.