The northern barriers are closed: there is no way to pick the olives

Share:
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Email
Observers: 
Northern Checkpoints by phone by Shuli Bar b
Nov-26-2023
|
Morning

For several weeks I have been inquiring occasionally with the Salem DCO when olive growers in the north will cross and harvest their olive groves in the Seam Zone. The answer I get is “probably next week”. A whole month has gone by and no permit on the horizon. Thiד morning Palestinians came to the Tayibe-Rumana Agricultural Checkpoint 154 (these are two small villages in the West Bank just below the town of Umm Al Fahm in Israel proper), after being notified that their checkpoint would be opened today and only for three days. As far as we know, only 2-3 villagers of Tayibe-Rumana tend a few dunams of olive groves, in the small Seam Zone. They came at 6:30 a.m., crossed the usual checkpoint gate fixed in the huge wall erected there half a year ago, and were immediately sent home. There are no nationalist colonies nor crazy messianic outposts in the northern West Bank. It is the Civil Administrationinfo-icon that does that work here. Quietly and consistently.

 

At Anin village, too, holders of transit permits are not being allowed to cross over from the West Bank to Eastern Barta’a, Except for the security guards, colonists standing there at all hours of the day also stop the crossings. Palestinians say they are from the Hermesh colony. So what will those who have work in Eastern Barta’a do if they cannot get there? Economic distress increases from day to day. Still, they cross the wall at night by climbing ladders. Not everyone manages that. About a month ago, a 30-years-old man from Anin was shot and killed by soldier fire when caught on a ladder