'Anin, Reihan, Shaked, Thu 18.11.10, Morning

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Observers: 
Shula B. (photographing), Neta G. (reporting)
Nov-18-2010
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Morning

Translator:  Charles K.

The day before yesterday, 16.11.10, the A’anin agricultural gate was closed for the Eid al Adha holiday. A phone inquiry to the DCO yesterday evening revealed that the following day – today – the agricultural gatesinfo-icon will be open as usual.  The female soldier said that A’anin will be open, as will Taibey-Romana.  But that’s not what happened.

 

06:10  Taibey-Romana checkpoint

(on the separation fence between the village of Taibey on the West Bank and the city of Umm el Fahm in Israel).  The checkpoint gates are locked.  No Palestinians and no soldiers.  A military vehicle passes by on the security road.  We watch the glorious sunrise over Taibey.

06:25  A’anin checkpoint
No one walking on the road to the checkpoint.  The gates open only momentarily to allow the military vehicle we saw earlier come out.

 

06:35  Shaked-Tura checkpoint

Here, as it turns out, the checkpoint gates are open.  Soldiers are present, but no one is crossing.  Palestinians who want to enter the seam zone to join their families in celebrating Eid el Adha didn’t follow the advice the officer gave yesterday (cf. the report from 17.11.2010), “If they don’t want the gates to be shut in their face at 9, they should cross at 6 AM!”

06:45  Reihan-Barta’a checkpoint
The checkpoint is still closed; it will open at 07:00 for the holiday.  They open the yellow gate for us and we enter the Palestinian parking lot.  It’s almost empty.  About 20 people who are working on the holiday wait in front of the locked gate leading to the terminal.  M., a veteran peace activist from Yabed, is crossing today – not to work, but to accompany a family member being treated at Rambam hospital.  A crew from CNN will cross with the child and will be picked up by one of Yuval Roth’s volunteers who’ll bring them to the hospital.

We continue toward the West Bank.  The gates of the road over the bridge to Zabdea in the north and Kafin in the south are closed as usual.  The ‘easings” and removal of checkpoints for the holiday don’t apply here.
We stop at the Bedouin village of Emricha.  We don’t notice a holiday atmosphere at this hour.  There are mainly flocks of sheep and shepherds on the road through the village.  We buy oil from one of the shepherds; chickens wander around his yard, a donkey tied in stable next to the sheepfold, and in one of the rooms of the house opening onto the yard is a clinic of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society.  A doctor comes from Jenin once a week.

7:35  Reihan-Barta’a checkpoint
The checkpoint is open.  Those who were waiting this morning have crossed.  Others haven’t yet arrived.  Drivers are already waiting on the seam zone side.  We returned home through eastern Barta’a.  The large village slumbers on this holiday morning.