What is the story with the parking lots in front of Zabda?

14:20 – We pass by Barta’a Checkpoint. Only a few workers return home at this hour.  The parking lot on the Palestinian side is full as is the lot at the foothills of the village of Zabde.  Many cars park in a long line on the sides of the road some distance from the checkpoint.   Only the parking lot opposite Zabde was empty, but there was a huge crane, a cement mixer, a bulldozer, and additional work vehicles there.  We will continue to follow up in future observations.

Ya’bed-Dotan Checkpoint

Little traffic in either direction.  A commando car is parked next to the checkpoint but the traffic moves with no delays.

Harmish Checkpoint

As usual, the checkpoint isn’t staffed.  A scattering of anemones are already blooming the length of the road between the Ya’bed Checkpoint and Harmish.

15:00 – Barta’a Checkpoint, the Palestinian Side

The parking lot is still full.  Many people, relatively, are already returning from work.  Among those returning are two young women, who happily meet us.  They live in Jenin and work at the sewing factory in Barta’a.  One of them purchased a car and she shows it to us with much justifiable pride.  At the opening of the shed is a small market where they sell strawberries, cakes, semolina, and nuts.  A masked female beggar is also so sitting there. Someone asked us to help her not only with money because she doesn’t have a father.  We can’t do this.  A man prohibited by the Security Forces asks for help.  At least we can help assist by giving him one of Silvia’s pieces of paper with the names and numbers of people who can help. We wish him success.

The passage assigned for women only is locked,  There are almost no women among the workers, and there isn’t a great push at this hour.  Someone tells us that in the morning the passage was open.

15:40 – Tura-Shaked Checkpoint  

The checkpoint, which was closed for the last two days, was open after shots fired at the Shaked settlement. Few passed through by vehicle or by foot, in both directions.

16:00 – Anin Checkpoint

We knew that the checkpoint was only open on Mondays and Wednesdays, but I wanted our guest to see those guarding the fence.  Both sat in their new hut and approached us.  One of them complains that the road that leads to the checkpoint is a military zone and that it is prohibited for us to be there.  When we said that we have been observing the checkpoint for 20 years, he compromised and said that we are allowed to be there only when the checkpoint is open.  Army logic.