Barta'a-Reihan, Tura-Shaked

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Observers: 
Tsafrira Zamir, Leah Reichman (reporting), Chana Stein translating
Feb-22-2018
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Afternoon

15:45 Turah-Shaked checkpoint

Few people passing in both directions. Only the birds seem to be impressed by us, wheeling above us and screeching. As usual, the shed is dirty. Someone has placed a few boards on the broken bench. Apart from this, all is as usual.

16:45 Barta’a – Reihan checkpoint

This is the hour when people return from work. There are not many.  Suddenly the passage fills up; the young folk look like Tel Aviv youths – smart, tall, and slim. They all pass quickly. The checkpoint is expanding, tended by a Palestinian gardener. The checkpoint, built on Palestinian land, is intended for inhabitants of the Barta’a area and for workers, farmers, and others in the seamline zone. At present it serves mainly for workers going to work in Israel, which enjoys a plentiful supply of cheap labour for building the town of Harish and others. I ask myself what am I doing here.