North: The checkpoint that was built here with a sizable investment does not work

15:10 – Argricultural Checkpoint, Anin

The soldiers arrive and 10 minutes later, the crossing begins. Eleven workers, a woman, a child and one tractor cross quickly to the village. The tractor belongs to M., someone we know, who got his agricultural permit back after it was taken from him last week as punishment for bringing junk through the checkpoint. However, now he is forbidden to transfer junk.

15:30 – Tura Checkpoint

We are greeted by bored soldiers and permanent piles of garbage.

A woman and child from Umm Reihan (a Palestinian village in the Seamline Zone) wait in the shed for a car.  She works in the hospital in Jenin and travels there every day—not an easy trip despite the short distance. One car with passengers passes through from the West Bank to the Seamline Zone. A few workers and four women pass through to the West Bank, and the crossing is fast.

15:50 – Barta'a Checkpoint

Car after car arrives at the upper parking lot. Thousands of workers who are not permitted to cross here in the morning, return home from their work in Israel. Most pass through the long checkpoint by foot, although many pass through the checkpoint in private cars via the vehicle checkpoint, because there is no inspection on the way back. A driver of a transit, who has a permit to pass through the checkpoint, and who takes passengers to Jenin, is already in the upper parking lot (before the checkpoint). One of those who crosses through tells us that he lives in Ya’bed, not far from Barta’a Checkpoint, but travels very early in the morning to the distant Jalama Checkpoint (Gilboa), and from there his employer takes him to Tel Aviv to work. In the afternoon, he is allowed to return through the Barta’a Checkpoint, which is closer to his home and also to Tel Aviv. The large checkpoint that was built here with a sizeable investment and eight computerized inspection windows, in fact, does not work. In the morning, only few are permitted to pass through here (compared to the past), and only three inspection windows function. In the afternoon, when thousands of workers return, there is no need for any inspection windows.

At this hour, the checkpoint functions only for the residents of East Barta’a (in the Seamline Zone), who are returning from Jenin.