'Anin, Mevo Dotan (Imriha), Reihan, Shaked, Thu 6.1.11, Afternoon
Translation: Bracha B.A.
14:50 A'anin Agricultural Checkpoint
145 people and three tractors are waiting in front of the locked gate. After a few minutes three male soldiers and two women soldiers arrive and open the gates
, but there is a problem with the computer and no one can cross. One man tells us that he received a 3-month permit to cross to his fields that will expire in two weeks and it has still not been renewed. He has 25 dunams (8 acres) of land between the two fences and near them, and a 53-year-old tractor that still runs!
At 15:15 the soldiers give up on the computer and take out a written list. In a few minutes everyone has gone through.
15:35 – Shaked-Tura Checkpoint
A while horse arrives at the checkpoint. Its rider dismounts and goes into the inspection booth.
16:00 – On our way to the Mevo Dotan Checkpoint we pass the Reihan Barta'a checkpoint. The Palestinian parking lot and the new parking lot near the checkpoint are completely filled with cars and there are 15 vehicles parked on the side of road 596 near the bridge next to the locked gates.
16:10 Mevo Dotan Checkpoint
There is light traffic in both directions and a soldier wonders what we are doing there.
16:30 Reihan-Barta'a Checkpoint
We descend the sleeve on the seamline zone side. A man shows us his permit. He is a resident of A'anin and works in Jenin. He received a permit to enter the seamline zone through Reihan Checkpoint. He owns land near the checkpoint and is angry that the permit says he can enter "despite the fact that he had a security ban."
There is only one window open in the terminal but there is no backup. The inspector is not pleasant, but she is efficient. Half a dozen detainees are waiting on the bench. Evidently there is a change here, and one of the sings now reads "Land Border Crossing Authority."
16:55 – We go back up the sleeve and see workers going down to the terminal One man is carrying a bouquet of purple flowers and says that he received a present and they are for his wife. "We'll have a nice evening." A moment of reprieve.