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

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Observers: 
Roni Shalit, Neta Golan (reporting). Translation: Bracha Ben-Avraham
Oct-29-2018
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Morning

05:50 – Reihan – Barta’a Checkpoint, Palestinian Side

The parking lot was not yet full at this time. One of the Palestinian attendants was selling parking tickets. People were arriving, entering the fenced area leading to the terminal, and entering the terminal. Occasionally, the flow of people into the terminal was interrupted when a vehicle crossed the security road near the entrance to the terminal, or because of crowding inside. We also inadvertently caused the crossing to stop. Four attendants approached us through the fence and after conferring with each other informed us that it was forbidden to take photographs. We showed them our IDF permit to take photographs, but that evidently does not pertain to the civilian checkpoints that are run by private security companies. We erased the photos that we had taken because we didn’t want to hold up the crossing any longer.

06:35 – A’anin Checkpoint

We were late, but the soldiers were even later.  A vehicle from the Liaison and Coordination Office was waiting for the soldiers to arrive. After about ten minutes they arrived and opened the checkpoint.

 06:50 – The first person crossed and told us that yesterday the soldiers had the nerve to open the checkpoint at 17:30 – two hours late (see report from 28.10). Dozens of people and two tractors crossed quickly. One of the soldiers chattered with us and was amazed at our volunteer work.  When we asked him the reason for the delay yesterday in opening the checkpoint he explained that they had been called by the Special Security Services to Mitzpeh Ilan, and in the end, another unit had arrived to open the checkpoint.

17:05 – One person was detained and we didn’t understand why. He was not allowed to cross but before he returned to A’anin he shook hands with the soldiers – an absurd incident. 

17:20 – Tura – Shaked Checkpoint

A few children were reciting their lessons on their way to school.  They didn’t want to be photographed. A few people were crossing to the seamline zone and one car was waiting for some of the people to cross. A few people were still waiting next to the turnstile. One person crossed driving a tractor and another with a cart and donkey.

We left this strange checkpoint at 17:40. The amount of unnecessary equipment here for only a small number of people who cross here only competed with the large amount of litter.  Evidently, the occupation does not have a budget to clean up.