'Anin, Barta'a-Reihan, Tura-Shaked

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Observers: 
Zafrira Zamir, Neta Golan (Photos, Reporting) Translation: Bracha Ben-Avraham
Apr-20-2017
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Afternoon

The Border Patrol is on the hunt between Meiami and the A'anin Checkpoint (opposite the upper entrance to Um Al Fahem).

On our way to the A'anin Checkpoint we saw the unpleasant sight of soldiers belonging to the border patrol standing on the side of the road near Meiami and Um Al Fahem.

15:00 A'anin Checkpoint

The soldiers were in position, the gatesinfo-icon of the checkpoint were open, and some of the people had already crossed.  As we arrived a tractor arrived at the checkpoint  carrying a wagon loaded with branches and crossed immediately.  Pedestrians arrived and crossed.  We asked if anyone knew what the border patrol was doing there and were told that they were looking for workers who are working in Israel without a permit.  We have not encountered this for a long time.  A soldier came up and asked us politely what we were doing.  He is new here and the other soldiers have been serving here for a month.  We have been here longer.

15:30 – Tura – Shaked Checkpoint

The soldiers were changing shifts when we arrived and as usual at this time there was very little traffic.  Two soldiers came up to us and asked if we needed help and we told them we did not.

16:00 – Barta'a Reihan Checkpoint

A lot of cars arrived with people on their way home from work and they got out near the fenced-in sleeveinfo-icon.   The Palestinian parking lot was crowded and disorderly.  There are no Palestinian attendants at this hour of the day.  Drivers were hawking their destinations to passengers and the cars were filling up.  Our friends the seamstresses were among them and they called to us and shook our hands warmly.  . 

We observed something out of the ordinary through the fence that separates the area of the terminal and the parking lot.  People coming back from work filled up the sleeve on the side of the terminal and left the sleeve one by one.  Someone explained to us that no one was holding people up, but that the two turnstiles through which people must pass to get out to the parking lot could not handle the crowd fast enough.  Unfortunately we were unable to photograph what was going on. 

A few people are crossing from the West Bank to the seamline zone including families carrying packages.  A few people who have been banned from entering Israel asked us for help. The notes that Sylvia printed have helped us as well as them. A young man made an original and sensible request  to install an electrical outlet in the shed to charge mobile phones.   His phone had run out of power.

A lot of people appeared to be pleased and happy.  They have work and the weekend is about to begin.  Things are all right despite  the occupation.  These were the ambivalently happy people who have work permits.  

The owner of the kiosk and S, the former owner of the previous kiosk who now works as a  driver asked us to have their picture taken alongside the snacks (See photo).  S. worked at a kiosk at the checkpoint until he was evicted by the checkpoint managers to allow a settler to operate a kiosk instead. 

16:40: We left.  The parking lot was no longer as full as it was and only one vehicle was waiting at the vehicle inspection point to cross to the seamline zone.  .  There was a long line of cars on the road leading up from the checkpoint.  All the drivers who drove workers to the checkpoint  from Israel and the seamline zone were returning home.

 

נטע.jpg
Barta`a c.p 20.4.2017   photo Neta Golan    

16:40 אנחנו עוזבות. מגרש החנה כבר לא מלא כל כך, במחסום הרכב רק מכונית אחת ממתינה למעבר למרחב התפר, בכביש העולה מהמחסום שורה ארוכה של מכוניות. גם הנהגים שהסיעו את הפועלים מישראל וממרחב התפר למחסום חוזרים הביתה.