Mapping tour of the farming gates along the Separation Fence

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Observers: 
Pitzy, Dalia (reporting)
Sep-6-2015
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Morning

The aim of this tour was to review the Separation Fence Checkpoints (“farming gatesinfo-icon”), map them and take pictures.

 

Beit Amin Checkpoint is located between Sha’arei Tikva settlement and Beit Amin village – locked as usual. It is opened only once in a while for Beit Amin villagers whose lands have been separated from them by the fence and are now situated on the other side, inside the seam-line space of Sha’arei Tikva.

 

Oranit Checkpoint (1447) is located between Beit Amin and Izbat Salman, and serves the villages of Siniriya, Beit Amin, Izbat Salman, and Jal’oud. In order to reach it one must cross – on foot – sewage running down from the settlement of Sharey Tikva towards Wadi Qana. The opening times of this checkpoint are not kept.

 

Jal’oud Checkpoint is near Jal’oud village, between Izbat Salman and Habla, and is absolutely locked. This forces the farmers of the area to ride several kilometers and get to Oranit Checkpoint, cross it and drive all the way back on the other side of the fence in order to reach their lands.

 

10:30 We left Rosh Ha’ayin train station. We entered the Jewish settlement of Sha’arei Tikva, driving as close as we could to the Separation fence, looking for what the army calls “farmers gates” which are nothing but checkpoints for all purposes. In the northern edge of the village, near Beit Amin, we monitored the checkpoint named after this village. As far as we know, the checkpoint is locked and nearly out of use. We did not manage to see its number. We took pictures.

 

Back to road no. 5, we proceeded through the Palestinian villages of Hares, Bidiya, Siniriya and Beit Amin and reached the same checkpoint from its Palestinian side. Here too we could not see its number. We know from a previous visit that the checkpoint is opened only upon request of the farmers whose lands are situated right next to the houses of Sha’arei Tikva settlement. Most of the village’s lands are already part of the settlement proper, even its synagogue is built on them.

 

We continued along the fence northbound and took pictures near the road of a sewage pipe from which refuse flows below the road towards the wadi. The sewage pollutes the area’s water and disseminates mosquitos and illnesses. We took pictures.

 

We continued along the fence to Izbat Salman. We came earlier than the opening time so we continued to Jal’oud. We entered the village and discovered many nurseries selling olives, guavas as well as various vegetables. This is apparently their source of livelihood.

 

At 13:00 we returned to the checkpoint near Izbat Salman and were told that this is opening time today. We met a tractor driver who crossed the sewage puddle as well as a boy stepping on tires in order to cross the stinking mess. We took pictures. We did not proceed towards the checkpoint itself (we didn’t step on tires), but heard the voices of the soldiers there.

 

On our way home, taking the same route we came, we were surprised to see that the sewage descending from Barkan settlement has changed its course… But it still exists.

 

14:30 on our way home.