'Anin, Barta'a-Reihan, Tayba-Rummana, Tura-Shaked
This morning’s fog covers the naked truth of Occupation
Barta’a Reihan Checkpoint 5:50-6:20
There are not many people here at this time and everything proceeds swiftly. Due to the weather many have stayed home, and among those who do come and cross over in order to construct a new town for the Jews – Harish – many have no entry permit into Israelo, or at most only into the ‘seamline zone’, into Eastern Barta’a. However, the temptation to obtain a few days of work is greater than the fear to get caught, arrested, tried, pay an exorbitant fine and be blacklisted for some years.
A 27-year old man approached us and told us something we have been hearing often: he worked in Harish for some contractor who promised to pay after two weeks. At the end of those two weeks he told the young man he was no longer needed, and did not pay him. Please help me get papers for Harish, he pleads with us – both to confront that wholesome looking Israeli contractor and to look for other employment.
‘Aanin ‘agricultural’ checkpoint 6:30-6:55

transit permits emerge, held by unseen people and everyone proceeds into their day
Toura-Shaked ‘fiber of life’ checkpoint – 7:00-7:45
As usual, the checkpoint is filled to bursting with superfluous machinery – a mere few people actually pass through. Neta is sorry to realize that the young children have not yet arrived to get through to their schools.
Yayibe-Roumana ‘agricultural’ checkpoint 8:00-8:30

(inside Israel) which at this foggy hour looks like a lovely impressionist painting
The soldiers were unusually early and open the gates at the exact time. The locals say that there have been no late openings for over two months now. They say it is due to the fact that Border Policemen have been replaced by soldiers+a DCO officer+Military Police. Oh such wonderful occupation, what can we say…
One of the people exiting the checkpoint asks us to see to it that at this side of the seamline zone a waiting shed be erected for the afternoon, just as there is on the Palestinian for the morning hours. He has asked this several times of the DCO representative present at the checkpoint and the answer was: it will be taken care of. Another tells us he is in search of work. “Two days a week I can come out of here and look for work, the rest of the week I sit at home and do nothing.” Another Palestinian tells us he is an ambulance driver in additional to tending his olive tree groves. He learned the profession in Israel.