The northern checkpoints are quite empty because of the Feast of the Sacrifice
Today is the first day of the holiday of Eid al Adha.
15:15 – Reihan – Barta’a Checkpoint, Seamline Zone Side
Today is a holiday and there is only light traffic to and the checkpoint and inside it. The large parking lots on the Palestinian side of the checkpoint appeared to be nearly empty from a distance, and we could see the large amount of stone cutting that was needed to pave them. The smaller parking lot on the Palestinian side was filled with Israeli Palestinian cars that had brought visitors from both sides of the separation barrier. A few men were walking up from the terminal. They lived in Jenin and were going to visit family in Barta’a and Baka al Sharkiyyeh. When we asked why there were no women or children with them they explained that it was because of the difficult conditions in the area and that the women were waiting to receive guests at home. One man wished us peace and a good life in Arabic. His friend translated and we wished them the same as well. Three women from Um al Fahem walked down the fenced-in roofed sleeve
on their way to visit family in Jenin.
15:45 – A’anin Checkpoint
No one was at the checkpoint, which was closed because of the holiday. There were also no soldiers guarding the separation barrier. The wall has not yet been completed in this section and there is still a large hole. Large cranes and bulldozers were standing next to it.
We called our old friend M. from A’anin. He told us that the checkpoint was not open during the holiday and that we could have called him and he would have told us not to come. We had wanted to come on the holiday to see what was happening.
16:00 Tura – Shaked Checkpoint
Two people from Yaabed were waiting for a ride to Um a Reihan. One of them was going to visit his sister, and meanwhile he asked us to help a friend obtain an agricultural permit. We gave him the phone number of the hotline for protection of the individual. He also asked for Sylvia’s card. Both were going to attend the funeral of a relative who had died during the holiday, and later many mourners would arrive. Women and children who would be visiting relative would arrive later in the day when it would be cooler. A group of young people was walking along the road towards the checkpoint.
We didn’t feel that there was a holiday atmosphere, perhaps because of the security situation or because it was not the right time of day.
16:20 We drove home. The roads were nearly empty. It is Eid el Adha in Israel as well.