Barta'a-Reihan checkpoint: what will happen next week?
16.45 – 15.30
Hole in the fence near the road from Harish to Barta’a – 15:50
The hole in the fence was close to Route 611 and close to Dahar al Abed on the Palestinian side. Workers were returning in the direction of the hole in the fence from construction work in Harish city. They crossed the road and the security fence to vehicles that were waiting for them near the houses. There was a long line of cars on the road leading to the checkpoint there was a long line of vehicles dropping workers off in the parking lot on upper side of Barta’a checkpoint.
Barta’a Checkpoint 16:00
Dozens of workers were walking down the sleeve
and returning to the West Bank. One worker told me that he had a permit to go to work in construction in Hadera next week despite the closure. Many other workers don’t know what will happen next week. One of the guards at the checkpoint told me that the checkpoint would be open as usual because construction work is considered essential. Seven women from Barta’a returned from Jenin with shopping baskets. They walked up the road in the hot sun towards the vehicle checkpoint to be checked because it is the only crossing open in the afternoons where people can cross to the seamline zone.
A young man approached us who had received a permit to enter Israel but the permit was taken from him after a few days without any explanation (probably by the Special Security Forces.) We saw a photo of his permit on his mobile phone. I gave him a note with Sylvia’s contact number.
Tura Checkpoint 16:40
Five workers returned to the West Bank from the seamline zone. One of them works in the settlement of Shaked and doesn’t know what will happen during the closure next week. He will come to the checkpoint on Monday morning and wee. Three more workers cross quickly. A mother and daughter returning from shopping in Jenin crossed the checkpoint on foot and waited for the husband to pick them up. Another four cars crossed quickly in both directions.