Eyal Crossing, Sun 22.11.09, Morning

Eyal CP opened about 5 minutes late. According to the Ecumenical Accompaniment Group who was on the Palestinian side, there were about 1500 people on line as far as the eye could see. Once the CP opened the line kept moving and the first people to exit on the Israeli side came through at 4:12AM. The Ecumenical Group told us that the entrance turnstile closed a few times for about 2 minutes but other then that, it was open continuously. There was a period around 5:30 to 6:30 when they saw about 800 people inside the terminal in a bottle neck. This was due to the x-ray machine that checks parcels. They were working but there are only two.

From the Israeli side we could see the booths where the final check of IDs is administrated. At no time was there a build up at those booths. Seven out of the eight booths were open all the time.

In the time we were at the check point, from 4:00AM until 6:44 AM, we counted about 3,360 people who came through. When the Ecumenical Group left at 6:30AM they told us that 3,500 people had entered the terminal.

The Palestinians on the whole said it was going well but that there a lot of people waiting outside and a lot of people in the terminal itself during the first part of the shift. The first hour and a half the Ecumenical Group continued to report that the line outside was beyond what the eye could see. By 6:00AM the line had cleared but there were still hundreds that could be seen by the Group inside the terminal.

The Ecumenical Accompaniment Group handed out their cards with the time that the person was entering the turnstile to the terminal. The person then handed us the card on their way out. The first person who had entered the terminal at 4:25AM passed through at 4:44AM (19 minutes). The second person had entered at 4:26AM and passed through at 4:53AM (27 minutes). The third person had entered at 4:52AM and passed through at 5:15AM (23minutes). The last person had entered at 4:55AM and passed through at 5:21AM (26 minutes).

It seemed to take progressively longer as time went on. Of course this approximately 20 minute wait in the terminal does not count the amount of time that the people waited on line BEFORE entering the terminal.

A lot of people complained that last Thursday, November 19, 2009 was a terrible day because the x-ray machines that checks parcels was not working. A long delay resulted and many simply had to turn around and go home because it was too late to think about going to work.

Mickey asked several people about the restriction on bringing certain foods. One person told her that a half a liter of humus is forbidden where as a smaller container is permitted. There does not seem to be any apparent rhyme or reason to many of the restrictions and they are not printed up any where so that people just have to learn by experience and their mistakes.  There were complaints that there is no one to turn to in the terminal when they have a problem.

A man who lives in the Jordan valley says he leaves his home every day at 2:00AM. He got to Eyal CP this morning at 3:30AM and he exited at 5:04AM. Some people who come from the Jordan Valley choose to share rented apartments in Qalqiliya so they don't have to travel so far every day. This man says it is worth it to return home so he can see his wife and children. And I was feeling sorry for myself about getting up at 3:00AM in order to get to Eyal at 4:00AM once every 2 weeks?
Eyal221109
Eyal ThursAM 22/11/09 E 4:00AM - 6:44AM
Observers: Mickey F. and Deborah L. (reporting)

Eyal CP opened about 5 minutes late. According to the Ecumenical Accompaniment Group who was on the Palestinian side, there were about 1500 people on line as far as the eye could see. Once the CP opened the line kept moving and the first people to exit on the Israeli side came through at 4:12AM. The Ecumenical Group told us that the entrance turnstile closed a few times for about 2 minutes but other then that, it was open continuously. There was a period around 5:30 to 6:30 when they saw about 800 people inside the terminal in a bottle neck. This was due to the x-ray machine that checks parcels. They were working but there are only two.

From the Israeli side we could see the booths where the final check of IDs is administrated. At no time was there a build up at those booths. Seven out of the eight booths were open all the time.

In the time we were at the check point, from 4:00AM until 6:44 AM, we counted about 3,360 people who came through. When the Ecumenical Group left at 6:30AM they told us that 3,500 people had entered the terminal.

The Palestinians on the whole said it was going well but that there a lot of people waiting outside and a lot of people in the terminal itself during the first part of the shift. The first hour and a half the Ecumenical Group continued to report that the line outside was beyond what the eye could see. By 6:00AM the line had cleared but there were still hundreds that could be seen by the Group inside the terminal.

The Ecumenical Accompaniment Group handed out their cards with the time that the person was entering the turnstile to the terminal. The person then handed us the card on their way out. The first person who had entered the terminal at 4:25AM passed through at 4:44AM (19 minutes). The second person had entered at 4:26AM and passed through at 4:53AM (27 minutes). The third person had entered at 4:52AM and passed through at 5:15AM (23 minutes). The last person had entered at 4:55AM and passed through at 5:21AM (26 minutes).

It seemed to take progressively longer as time went on. Of course this approximately 20 minute wait in the terminal does not count the amount of time that the people waited on line BEFORE entering the terminal.

A lot of people complained that last Thursday, November 19, 2009 was a terrible day because the x-ray machines that checks parcels was not working. A long delay resulted and many simply had to turn around and go home because it was too late to think about going to work.

Mickey asked several people about the restriction on bringing certain foods. One person told her that a half a liter of humus is forbidden where as a smaller container is permitted. There does not seem to be any apparent rhyme or reason to many of the restrictions and they are not printed up any where so that people just have to learn by experience and their mistakes.  There were complaints that there is no one to turn to in the terminal when they have a problem.

A man who lives in the Jordan valley says he leaves his home every day at 2:00AM. He got to Eyal CP this morning at 3:30AM and he exited at 5:04AM. Some people who come from the Jordan Valley choose to share rented apartments in Qalqiliya so they don't have to travel so far every day. This man says it is worth it to return home so he can see his wife and children. And I was feeling sorry for myself about getting up at 3:00AM in order to get to Eyal at 4:00AM once every 2 weeks?