Passage Restrictions

Bethlehem - Checkpoint 300:

 

Naomi Gal (translating)

We asked the people crowding out on the sidewalks: how is it going today? The answer is - not well.

Inside the terminal it is packed, four windows are slowly operating. One group passes and then there is a break. And then again in comes a new wave of people. It seems that people cross in groups, which slows the pace. Odah, the police officer at the crossing enlists to assist with the checking. The officer tells us the number of people using the CP increased significantly because it includes people who bypass the Kalandia Checkpoint whenever it’s possible.

By 7:10 AM the crossing has been completed, and a total of 5,000 people had passed.

A pleasantly surprising meeting was when one of the passing women approached us and with a happy smile told us that her brother received a working permit and an entry to Israel. A few weeks ago she asked us to find a way to remove the prevention he had on entering Israel, and we referred her to the customary procedures.  It seems that Sylvia deserves the thanks.

Another woman said she had worked for a family in Jerusalem and they fired her without paying her compensation. We referred her to “Kav L’Oved” a Workers' Open Line in hopes it will be handled accordingly.

North, 29.4.13, afternoon

Leah R., Anna N.S.

Translator:  Charles K.

15:15  A’anin agricultural gate (on the separation fence, for farmers cut off from their land by the fence)

The checkpoint opens at 15:00.  Those waiting said that about 25 people had crossed by the time we arrived, all residents of A’anin returning home after working outside the village.  A few tractors loaded with scrap also waited.  Everyone was tired.  It’s hot, and particularly hot at this hour.

The soldiers inspect every item in the bags people carry.  The young men cross last; it’s not clear why.  Gradually, everyone but M. goes through.  His tractor is loaded with used mattresses, old blankets and some broken plastic chairs.  The soldiers aren’t letting him bring the load across.  M. asks, pleads, explains how much he needs the goods, tells them how poor he is, how many troubles:  “I have seven children and no money,” he says and displays his ID card.  It doesn’t help.  The soldiers stick to the rules.  Correction:  there are rules, regulations, laws passed by the Knesset, but there’s also common sense and judgment.  But the soldiers insist:  only agricultural produce is allowed through an agricultural checkpoint.  M. points to his ten year old son sitting next to him on the tractor, describes a school trip to Ramallah which he couldn’t join because M. couldn’t pay the fee.  The soldiers don’t care.  He removes the blue independence day cap his son is wearing and shows it to the soldiers.  “Do you know what this is, huh?” he asks.  “I love peace, I love Jews…”  M. continues to beg; his humiliation and this ridiculous argument over a pile of junk are heartrending.  What must M. think of us?  What’s going through his head?

I want to photograph the tractor and controversial pile of junk but M. refuses, and I back down.  When the soldiers move to close the checkpoint he unloads the broken plastic chairs next to the fence and goes through.  He’s followed at the last minute by three more Palestinians after they were interrogated.

I’ll forgo quoting the crude pearls of racism and ignorance we heard from the soldiers who aren’t aware of the fact that it’s occupied territory.  Here’s what one soldier said, more or less:  We’re strong.  We have weapons, so it’s ours.

A Palestinian sanitation worker collected the garbage around the checkpoint.

16:00  Tura-Shaked checkpoint  (a “fabric of life” checkpoint between Palestinian villages in Area C)

Only a few people and one vehicle crossed to the West Bank during the quarter-hour we were there.  Only two people crossed to the seam zone.

16:20  Barta’a-Reihan checkpoint  (the largest checkpoint in the area, with a large terminal; it’s been privatized)

More than 200 people crowd next to the fenced corridor to the upper terminal entrance.  The checkpoint is closed!  It’s training time!  The DCO didn’t know when the checkpoint would open.  People say they’ve been waiting about an hour.  Soldiers in a military vehicle who were also waiting said the exercise will be over within 15 minutes.  People are tired after a day of work, they crowd at the checkpoint, it’s hot, unpleasant, they’re even too tired to complain.

The checkpoint opens ten minutes later and the mass of people returning flowed through the fenced corridor to the terminal and out to the Palestinian parking lot.  The waiting vehicles also crossed.  The taxi drivers in the Palestinian parking lot waited together; one prayed.  People described their hardships to us; they have many, in particular the fact that no one helps them, not the Palestinian authority, not the occupiers, nor us either.

17:00  We left.

Translator:  Charles K.

06:10  A’anin checkpoint

Inspections were carried out opposite the entrance gate to the checkpoint, near us.  A few people waited at the middle gate to be called for inspection, and from the shouting we heard there must have been a mess at the lower gate.  Soon everyone, including the tractors, arrived at the middle gate, and we were told by those exiting that people were shoving, didn’t want to stay in line and that the soldiers got annoyed.  A few young men were sent back home after arguments.  A man who came through on a horse asked us to help his friend who’d been sent back to the village right before our eyes.  Only after the checkpoint closed were we able to talk to a female MP who politely explained that she sends people (mostly younger men) back who appear likely to be planning to remain illegally in Israel:  someone with a bag of clothing and a charger for his phone doesn’t intend to come back this afternoon.

Husni, the redhead, approached us – his 8-year old grandson has a blood disease.  He has an appointment this coming Sunday at Hadassah hospital in Jerusalem, but they haven’t yet been able to obtain an entry permit to Israel.  With Chana Barg’s help we learned that the appointment doesn’t yet appear in any hospital’s registry.  We explained to Husni what he must do; let’s hope he manages to complete the complicated arrangements by Sunday.

People we spoke to said they didn’t trust the Palestinian state or its leadership.  What difference will  a state make, they said; all the money will stay at the top and we’ll never get what we need or the rights we’re entitled to, like you have.

07:10  Shaked checkpoint

No one went through the checkpoint before 07:20, though officially it opened at 07:00.  The people usually crossing at this hour waited at the gate near us – pupils, teachers, government workers, other workers.  The soldiers had forgotten the key to the lock of the fenced corridor and everyone waited for it.  The soldiers could have taken that into account and let them go through the center of this little checkpoint, but no – ordnung muss sein.  The line at the far gate on the Tura side also grew longer.  The lines and the mess hadn’t gone away by the time we left.

07:45  Reihan checkpoint

We drove by on our way to the Zebda bridge.  The parking lot next to the bridge was full; the number of Palestinian vehicles increases every day and creates a shortage of parking spaces.  Nine loaded commercial vehicles stand on the road to the vehicle checkpoint and merchandise inspection station.

09:00  Jalameh checkpoint (Gilbo’a crossing)

A father and son wait for me to drive them to Rambam hospital.  They crossed before the 08:50-9:20 break but we can’t leave yet because we must wait for the mother and three-month-old daughter who undergoes daily dialysis at Rambam.

I approach the closed terminal entrance.  A guard in the tower who doesn’t realize I’m Israeli calls “Iftah el bab [open the door].”  Another guard, armed with a threatening weapon, tells me to move away from the opening because it’s a security area.  Meanwhile Palestinians arrive, open the gate in the fence and cross to the West Bank without having to go through the terminal.

09:20  The terminal doors open.  Palestinians now arriving cross quickly to the West Bank through the terminal.  Some come through in the other direction, to Israel.

09:55  The mother and infant daughter cross accompanied by the father who carries their belongings.  The father returns to the terminal and we drive off.

Throughout my stay at the checkpoint there was a flow of cars belonging to Israeli Arabs at the vehicle checkpoint, on their way to the West Bank.  People aren’t yet returning to Israel at this hour.

Trans. Charles K.

Tarqumiyya

We left the Shokat junction at 06:00 for the Tarqumiyya checkpoint but didn’t arrive until 06:45 because we had trouble with the car.  Most of the laborers had already crossed but many were still there who could report on their numerous troubles and hardships.

The entrance to the checkpoint can be confusing: two plazas on the road to prevent accidents, bushes trimmed like in European parks, on its face an innocent border crossing.

We stayed until 07:20 and heard about many entry permits that had been confiscated, slander and mutual recriminations leading to confiscation of permits and other consequences.  Since we don’t come here regularly they have no one to advocate on their behalf.  We have to see how we can renew our visits there.

The Palestinians say the women inspectors treat them very badly, as do the checkpoint managers. The bathrooms have been closed. Laborers returned while we were there because it rained and work was cancelled.

Southern Hebron Hills

We continued to Hebron in heavy fog which made doing anything difficult so we drove to the school at a-Tawwani.  We arrived exactly at 08:00 and met the children arriving on foot, in the rain.  They told us the army arrived on time to escort them.

Translation: Bracha B.A.

7:00-8:50

Photo: Children waiting for the sleeve to open to cross the checkpoint

07:00 – Shaked – Tura Checkpoint

We arrive together with the soldiers who approach slowly on foot.  The gate for vehicles is wide open and children Um Reihan and Dahar Al Malk who go to school in Tura or Yaabed are already waiting next to the pedestrian gate at the entrance to the sleeve.  The gate opens at 07:03 and the school principal from the Yaabed School and students cross together with them.   The principal of the school in Um Reihan and his secretary arrive from the other side.  People tell us that they have been recently forbidden to cross.  One person tells us that he was allowed to cross anyway in order to make arrangements.

A young officer offers us drinks and tells us that he admires us – not for what we represent, but because we older women are willing to continue to come out and stand at the checkpoints when they open early in the morning.  He wants to learn more about the organization that we represent when we come to the checkpoints.  Like all soldiers whom we talk with, he does not know that the fence and the checkpoint are standing on land that does not belong to Israel and that the military activities in which he is taking part here at this "daily life" checkpoint where he is in direct contact with a civilian non-Israeli population, is actually occupation.  Like all the other soldiers, he refuses to believe us.  What more is this than intentional indoctrination? 

08:30 – Reihan – Barta'a Checkpoint

We drive down to the Palestinian parking lot that is filled with cars.  There N. is waiting for us - a man with heart problems who is cared for by six disabled children.  He receives a lot of financial aid and many packages of used clothing.  Unfortunately he is very needy - repairing the wheelchair of one of his children costs more than 13,000 Shekels.  He delivers a number of colorful curses against the Palestinian Authority who has not offered him any help at all. 

Ten loaded trucks are waiting on the road to be checked.  One truck is loaded with fresh green pods of chick peas with delicious seeds inside.

Translator:  Charles K.

No effort is made to open the checkpoints at a set time.

Those manning the checkpoints are still refusing entry to people who don’t appear to be dressed in a manner “appropriate” to a Palestinian fellah.

06:10-07:00  People may cross through the A’anin checkpoint only if their clothes are dirty.

It’s quiet, silent.  There are indications that soldiers are at the checkpoint, but no one goes through.  That lasts until 06:30.  Inspections were conducted in the middle of the checkpoint, behind the main gate.  Only 20 people went through by 07:00, at a very slow rate.  Those exiting said the computer was down and information was being recorded by hand.  Well – that explains everything.

The mistreatment continues of people claiming they’re on their way to work in the fields but are dressed too cleanly.  A female soldier with a well-developed sense of fashion sends home those she thinks are dressed too elegantly for manual labor.  That seems to her very suspicious.  It’s clear that the Palestinians have already developed ways to outwit her and the MPs’ fashion decrees.  Neta spoke to the soldier on duty at the DCO about delays in allowing people through; I spoke to him about the clothes – but the soldier, despite his willingness to help, didn’t really understand who I was, what we’re doing at the checkpoint, why aren’t they allowing us through, and are we really sure that the military police are picking on Palestinians because of the clothes they’re wearing…

07:10-07:25  The Shaked checkpoint also awakens slowly.

Here too they opened late; a line of little children and adults formed on the seam zone side, and of laborers on the Tura side.  Crossing began at about 07:15, calmly, everyone knows what’s allowed and what’s forbidden, only holders of crossing-permits show up, so what’s not to like?  Why should any problems arise?  What a successful occupation.

07:25-07:50  Yabed-Dothan checkpoint

The side road to Yabed that turns off the main road to Jenin is blocked to cars by a heavy yellow iron bar, one of the occupation’s earmarks.  In addition, a military jeep was parked there, apparently to prevent people from going through on foot.

We arrived at the checkpoint and here, too – life had come to a halt.  Cars waited on both sides while the soldiers conducted some kind of attack/defense exercise, ran around with their weapons, fell to the ground, kneeled, squinted and aimed, etc.  Finally they gathered around a low-ranking officer who apparently summed up their fling and went on his way.  And then the crossing opened; traffic flowed in both directions without delays while we were there.

08:00  Reihan checkpoint

We drove by without entering this large, busy checkpoint.  Seven commercial vehicles waited to have their loads inspected.  The parking lot is jammed.  Few people were in the fenced corridor leading up from the terminal.

Translation  Naomi  Gal

12:25 a concerned man approached us and said that his seven-year-old son is sick and was invited for medical treatment in a hospital in Germany. He asked for a permit to fly with his son to Germany from Ben-Gurion Airport and brought with him all the necessary documents. But when he entered the DCO, they sent him outside with no regard to his request. Before that they sent him from the Palestinian DCO to Etzion DCO and from Etzion back to the Palestinian DCO. He was again sent to Etzion and when he came today they refused to attend to him. We spoke with officer R. who summoned him to enter and leave the documents with her, and promised to take care of his case so that he’ll get a permit.

A young man told us that he and his wife were summoned for fertility treatments at a hospital in Jerusalem, but only the wife received an entry permit. First, they both received a permit for one day, although the hospital summoned them for a whole month. After a talk with officer R. they were both invited in again, but only the wife got a permit for a month. After a further talk with R. the husband as well received a permit for a month.

An elderly man, whose son was injured in an accident and was hospitalized in Jerusalem, said he wanted an entry permit to take care of his son, but did not get one since he is prevented by the General Security Services. R. said that the request will be passed on to the GSS and after a checking he will get a permit.

A man whose family member was arrested while he was working in Israel without a permit, complained that he doesn’t know where his relative is detained. We referred him to Etzion Police Station. They told him that the detainee is in the Etzion Detention House and that his trial will takes place on Sunday in the courtroom at Ofer.

The family was not informed about the trial.

Bethlehem - Checkpoint 300 
 

Naomi Gal (translating)

Only two windows are open although quite a few people are waiting in line. 30 minutes into the shift they open another window.

The checking lasts for long moments, because at least in one of the windows there is a soldier who doesn’t concede and makes each and every one lay their finger on the biometric devise (fingerprint identification). The device slows down occasionally while transferring the required information to the screen and one has to press the finger time and again; often the soldier asks to use the other hand. The Palestinians are already making fun about it and when their turn arrives they ask:  "Right or left?" The soldier answers to most "right" but sometimes says “left" when the screen remains indifferent to the right finger and doesn’t allow the owner of the hand to pass.

There are not many kids but suddenly something happens: parents protest the refusal of the soldier to let their little girl pass (she is really small - two and a half years old). I approach the soldier and say: look, little kids always pass. On Fridays they require permits (on Friday people pass with prayer permits, unlike the rest of the week) only from age seven and sometimes from age five. 
The soldier says: just the opposite, it is forbidden to let children under 7 pass. He's courteous and smiling but convinced he's right. 
I laugh: you just got confused, I promise you that children under the age of 7 are passing today, please ask your commander.

Fortunately for the family an officer just walked out from one of the rooms inside and I ask him to talk to the soldier. He indeed explains the procedure and the family passes. I did one good thing today!  What Hagit called "small victories" in the magazine article about her in “Haaretz".

No special events the rest of the shift, but there is a constant stream of people and a comic ballet of fingers changing / racing on the biometric contraption.

Naomi Gal translatio

Etzion DCL, 14:10 PM: out of the DCL surges an old man looking puzzled. He says that he received an entry permit to Jerusalem to undergo surgery at St John Hospital and a permit for one of his two sons to accompany him, but it turned out that this son could not accompany him, so he asked for a permit for the other son. They refused. Without even explaining why. Shlomit spoke with officer R. who is always willing to help. The man was ushered in again and after a short while came out satisfied.  The son got a permit.

Young Christians asked for entry permits at Easter and did not get them. We inquired and were told that a representative of the church must call and ask for their permits. They called the representative, he spoke with a person at the DCL and the permits were granted.

An older man addressed us complaining that his equipment for building roads was confiscated. He worked on building a road funded by international donors given to one of the municipalities. For three weeks he has been trying to get the equipment back, to no avail. His lawyer’s appeals didn’t help either.

Palestinians we met told that this past week a thousand olive trees belonging to residents of a village near Gush Etzion were destroyed.

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Naomi Gal translatio

Etzion DCL, 14:10 PM: out of the DCL surges an old man looking puzzled. He says that he received an entry permit to Jerusalem to undergo surgery at St John Hospital and a permit for one of his two sons to accompany him, but it turned out that this son could not accompany him, so he asked for a permit for the other son. They refused. Without even explaining why. Shlomit spoke with officer R. who is always willing to help. The man was ushered in again and after a short while came out satisfied.  The son got a permit.

Young Christians asked for entry permits at Easter and did not get them. We inquired and were told that a representative of the church must call and ask for their permits. They called the representative, he spoke with a person at the DCL and the permits were granted.

An older man addressed us complaining that his equipment for building roads was confiscated. He worked on building a road funded by international donors given to one of the municipalities. For three weeks he has been trying to get the equipment back, to no avail. His lawyer’s appeals didn’t help either.

Palestinians we met told that this past week a thousand olive trees belonging to residents of a village near Gush Etzion were destroyed.

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