'Anin, Reihan, Shaked, Thu 3.1.08, Morning

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Observers: 
Leah, Sima S.
Jan-3-2008
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Morning

Guest: Hadas

06:30 Aanin Checkpoint

Pale light of dawn and, to our surprise, not too cold, nor rainy. An army Hummer stands waiting, engine running, and alongside it an officer and a soldier are checking the IDs of an adult couple. Another soldier, rifle pointed at passersby, is waiting in the hut. After ten minutes the couple pass. The man's permit has expired two days ago, and the woman's is good for another year and a half; nevertheless they were allowed through together, el-hamdillila.
Hadas enters the military compound and photographs innocently. The officer shouts from a distance that she is to leave immediately because it is a closed military area, and if she doesn't, he will call the police. She apologizes that she did not know, and asks us whether she can photograph outside (there is a beautiful sunrise). We tell her she may, and she continues to do so. And again the officer shouts from afar that she is to stop, otherwise he "will confiscate her camerainfo-icon." She stops.
Meanwhile, people are passing and soldiers are checking, slowly, while raising the permits to the light.
One of the people in tne  lune says he has been waiting since 05:00, and asks why do the soldiers check so slowly? Indeed, why?
We leave. The Hummer engine is still running...

07:10 Shaked-Tura Checkpoint

One soldier in the box. Two checking. People entering the inspection hut, and coming out quite quickly. Children going to school, quite calm, and not so cold.
We continue to Reihan.

07:30 Reihan-Bartaa Checkpoint

Cars and a few people at the top of the sleeveinfo-icon. We continue to the Palestinian parking lot. One pickup truck loaded with vegetables is waiting to pass, and five taxis are waiting for passengers. Walid comes to us and receives newspapers in Hebrew and Arabic which he likes to look at and read, and a pair of gloves so that his hands won't freeze when he rides his bike. I also distribute the sacks of clothes and toys according to the list which is updated all the time. People are grateful for them, and there are no more arguments. Somebody says that because it rained heavily yesterday, they did not go out to pick vegetables and fruit, so there are fewer trucks than usual. There are still many trays of eggs in the hut waiting for transfer. Everybody is waiting... We move down the sleeve, and the people coming out say that "today is okay": they are not being put in rooms, and here too there is no sense of delays. We go on to the market in East Bartaa, where we meet someone from Kafin who says that the checkpoint there is no longer manned, and people can cross freely (?) And reach Bartaa Checkpoint.