'Anin, Reihan, Shaked, Thu 17.3.11, Afternoon
Translator: Charles K.
A’anin checkpoint – 14:55
The checkpoint opened a few mintues before 15:00; 14 men, 7 women and one boy crossed – those are all the agricultural permits that were received. One of the women approached, told us her husband was ill and can’t work. Since the land is registered in his name, their son can’t get a crossing permit; she’s the only one allowed through to work the land.
One of those going through tries unsuccessfully to transport two sacks of sawdust to spread around the trees in a grove in the village. He says that last week they let him take the sawdust through, but now the female MP refuses. Calls to the DCO didn’t help.
Shaked checkpoint – 15:30
We spoke with M., who’d contacted Netta this morning, who updated us that the children returning at noon from schools in the West Bank went through the checkpoint with no problems, and weren’t required to be inspected inside the building. One resident also told us that there’s a meeting going on now at the DCO with the local council head, regarding children going through the checkpoint (remember, there’s a new order to make the children go through the inspection building, rather than just looking into their bags at the checkpoint itself). Heavy traffic at the checkpoint, cars cross in 5-6 minutes, and pedestrians also go through quickly.
Reihan checkpoint – 16:15
Farther along the fenced corridor women and children have been waiting (about 45 minutes) for a car to come out from being checked in the closed area. Laborers begin returning to the West Bank from Israel and from the seam zone. They go through continuously, but there’s nevertheless a significant delay because those returning from Jenin to the seam zone have to stand at the same one window. We’re told that in the morning the checkpoint was closed for a time because a curfew order was given. The result was congestion and disorder, but it turned out there was a mistake regarding the date, the curfew was to be in effect only from tomorrow, until Monday (Purim).
16:40 – No one entered the terminal for ten minutes, and the flow of returning laborers increases.
16:55 – A second window opens; the line and congestion is eliminated.