Jalama, Sun 5.7.09, Morning

Translation: Bracha B.A.

05:23-06:45 Reihan-Barta’a
A group of workers are waiting for their friend who is still held up in the terminal.  Here, too, food is meticulously checked (someone demonstrates squeezing and smelling) and people cannot bring in cold water.  Someone reports that there is a sign warning people with heart conditions about going through the magnometer that is written only in Hebrew without any Arabic translation.  We did not receive any verification of this from other workers but we asked to of them who were to be checked to report to us.
Meanwhile people are moving through smoothly.
At 05:50 a group of 7 vans loaded with goods is about to enter the inspection facility.  The drivers go to the document inspection points.
At 6:03 the turnstile opens and everyone enters the terminal.  B. comes out at 6:25.  We wait for A., the child and his mother to take then to Rambam Hospital and meanwhile hear complaints again and again about the biometer that does not work and people who have to travel to Salameh because of this.

6:50-7:20 Shaked-Tura
The gate on this side o the checkpoint is already open.  The gate on the other side opens at 7:00 exactly.  After that the passage for pedestrians opens a bit before the turnstile and another gate behind that and about 40 people and 5 cars are waiting.
At 7:04 three children who arrived from the direction of the West Bank go through the soldiers’ position, are stopped for a minute, and continue on their way together with an adult who already went through the inspection room.  Drivers who come from the direction of the West Bank do not have to wait in front of the turnstile and enter the inspection room and go out the other side.  Traffic in both directions goes quickly.

Jamaleh 07:50
We pick up the little girl Aya and her mother to take them to Rambam Hospital.