Tayba-Rummana, Tura-Shaked, Ya'bed-Dotan

06:10  ‘Anin agricultural checkpoint  [Photo:  the first tractor goes through the checkpoint]

As soon as we arrived (slightly late) people began going through, first the tractors and then people on foot.  Not many cross compared to other days; after 20 minutes no one was left.  A man blacklisted by the Shabak, who was caught in Israel illegally three years ago, asks for help removing the blacklisting.  We referred him to Tami, our Sylvia.  Captain S. approached to say hello, but since I was talking with Fathi I wasn’t able to speak to the captain.  Some other time.

06:50  Tura “fabric of life” checkpoint

People and cars begin crossing at 07:05.  A group of officers from the military police (a major, captain and others) walk around the checkpoint, approach us - what’s up, any complaints?  They offered water.

07:50  Ya’bed road checkpoint  

We drove through the Barta’a checkpoint without stopping.  People seemed to go through without any problems.  The Ya’bed checkpoint is wide open, unmanned, donkeys on site instead of soldiers.

A few thirsty anemones grow among the olive trees.  But there’s some greenery nonetheless.

Cars coming from Ya’bed or Jenin honk hello to us.  Here we’re celebrities…

08:15  Tayba-Rummana agricultural checkpoint  [Photos:  waiting; then finally crossing after a long delay]

A group of people and a tractor await the Border Police soldiers operating this checkpoint.  They shouted to us from beyond the fence:  Yalla, open up…open up… We telephoned Tali, the crossings coordinator at the Salem DCO.  As usual, she doesn’t answer.  A polite female soldier answers at brigade headquarters; she promises to investigate.  Soldiers who passed in a jeep said “there was an incident at the fence; who are you?’  Five minutes later the same female soldier told us, “They’re on their way.”  At 08:35 Border Police soldiers arrived in a jeep.  All those waiting went through, except for two young men; we weren’t able to learn why they were sent back.  People complained that the checkpoint frequently opened very late, also in the afternoon.  Two older women told us their husbands aren’t allowed to reach the family’s olive grove near Umm el Fahm even though their names appear on the deed for the land.  Only the women are allowed to cross.  “Perhaps because my husband is old (75),” says one.  The second responds, “Old, but it’s his land.”  We gave them a ride to Umm el Fahm.  Not surprisingly, we lost our way in the town’s alleys, and not surprisingly we were rescued by a pleasant young woman who drove ahead and led us to the main road.