'Anin, Reihan, Shaked, Thu 5.1.12, Afternoon
Translation: Bracha B.A.
15:13 – A'anin Checkpoint
The gates
are open and people and tractors are passing through. Three girls from the Bedouin clan, who live beneath the checkpoint, whom we know and see many mornings while they wait for their ride to school, are dressed up to greet their uncle who is coming from A'anin. He does not arrive, and the soldiers tell us that even if he does come he cannot cross to the seamline zone at this hour.
Two young men whose permits have expired on December 31st, 2011 are debating whether to go home through A'anin checkpoint or to go with us to the Reihan checkpoint. The checkpoint commander, a staff sergeant, promises us that he will let them through and not confiscate their ID cards if they are "not criminals." The two young men enter the area between the two gates and the first sergeant and the policewoman begin to call and check. At 15:45 two farmers arrive and cross through. The checkpoint is open until 16:00. At 16:00 one of the young men is released and allowed to go home. The gates of the checkpoint are closed. We wait until 16:15, when the other young man is allowed to leave.
16:25 – Shaked-Tura Checkpoint
A few workers, a car, two trucks and a donkey and wagon cross to the West Bank. A family crosses to the seamline zone.
16:50 – Reihan Barta'a Checkpoint - The Seamline Zone Side
Three vehicles and their passengers are waiting to cross to the West Bank. Workers are entering the sleeve carrying bags of oranges. There is no line at the entrance to the terminal. Four detainees are waiting on the bench and two windows are operating. Occasionally the clerk at the windows deal with students and families going towards the seamline zone and a line builds up but quickly disappears again. One of the people passing through marvels that "they are working nicely". We notice that the upper arms of the turnstile at the entrance have been covered with black rubber to prevent possible injuries to people passing through.
At 17:15 we left, but workers continued to arrive. There are still three cars waiting to cross to the West Bank. The bus from the "Shomron Development Company crosses to the seamline zone without being stopped.