Irtah (Sha'ar Efrayim), Thu 6.8.09, Morning

4.40 Irtah
At the checkpoint where the workers enter the gate is permanently open. The turnstiles do not close and there is no pressure at the entrance. The exit is also smooth. The posts are open and the exit flows and is continuous. Many people said good morning to us and that there were no problems. It seems that the parcels of food which they take with them have also grown in size. This shows that they are now able to take through more food. The only complaint that we got time and again was about the way home. In the afternoon between 3.30 and 5.00 when they return only one post is open and there is a long wait in the blistering sun and that after a long and hard day's work. It seems that the afternoon shift has to be strengthened and another article sent to the newspaper about this. We stood about an hour at the exit like stewardesses smiling at those getting off the plane and then we left.