Mevo Dotan (Imriha), Reihan, Shaked, Thu 5.7.12, Morning
Translator: Charles K.
A’anin checkpoint 06:10-06:30
This checkpoint, installed in the separation fence, opens twice a week for a limited number of residents and farmers from the village of A’anin who have been cut off from their lands by the fence. They cross with “agricultural” permits, while others succeeded in obtaining “employment” permits that allow them to work in the seam zone until 15:30, when they return. If they don’t come back in time and in the same day they’ll be considered illegally present in Israel and will lose their crossing permit.
M
azal Tov! Shafik’s jennet gave birth to a cute foal.
People on foot and tractors with permits flow through unusually quickly. One of those crossing this morning gave the soldiers at the checkpoint a “good” grade. Children cross with their fathers; one said that today his son was allowed to accompany him on his employment permit; last time the soldiers who refused to let his son to cross, told him he needed an agricultural permit for his son to cross with him.
Another father, crossing with three children, asked us for advice – his wife hasn’t received an agricultural permit for a long time – what can he do? We gave him the appropriate phone numbers.
Reihan-Barta’a checkpoint 06:45-07:15
This is the main checkpoint in the northwestern West Bank, with a large terminal, biometric identification stations (finger- and palm print), scanners and a number of document inspection booths. There’s also a large installation to examine truck loads. The IDF provides security and a private civilian security company manages the crossing. The place is well-kept, ostentatiously decorated in poor taste with an apparently unlimited budget.
The crossing flows smoothly at this hour, primarily from the West Bank to jobs in eastern Barta’a which is enclosed by the seam zone.
Hadi (aged 20), a genial guy who every morning opens a coffee and candy stand in the shed, collects garbage that has accumulated on the ground. He’s placed two shabby sofas and two shaky tables covered with table cloths next to his stand, energetically and cheerfully. Behind all this is a sad story. Half a year ago his father was badly injured in an accident and both his legs were paralyzed. Hadi, the eldest, was called on to take his place as the family’s breadwinner. Until then he’d worked in Israel, in Haifa, washing dishes in a restaurant and was satisfied. Here, on a good day, he makes NIS 100. Next year, God willing, he’ll marry his Israeli sweetheart and will continue to support his parents and brothers forever. We suggest he open a shop to sell second-hand clothing in Yabed (where he lives), and we’ll provide him with merchandise. He wasn’t enthusiastic about the idea, said he’d think about it.
Dothan-Yabed checkpoint 07:20-07:45
A checkpoint with a guard tower manned part of the day at the junction of Mavo Dothan and the road to Jenin. Most of the traffic it oversees is from the West Bank toward the seam zone, and back. The soldiers say that children sometimes throw here Molotov cocktails at them.
Vehicles traveling east to Jenin aren’t inspected, those in the opposite direction toward the Reihan checkpoint are stopped and drivers show documents. A taxi driver is detained for 15 minutes until they finish the phone calls about his situation.
Reihan checkpoint 07:50
Four loaded trucks wait to be inspected. A truck carrying two calves. A truck with two carts in tow, which crossed through Dothan/Yabed c.p without being inspected, is checked here carefully. Israeli license plates.
We forgot to observe the Shaked checkpoint…we were already on the way home when the penny dropped :)