Rihan
Rihan, Sunday, December 12, 2004, AMObservers: Yocheved G., Chasida S. (reporting)8:45 - 10:00The checkpoint commander, Staff Sergeant L., received us in a hostile manner. He agreed to say only a few words, in short sentences, and said: "Do not talk with my soldiers." We heard that Arab Israelis, holding blue ID cards, are still are not allowed into the West Bank. He terms it "closure
."We walked south, toward the Palestinian cars, to see why they were waiting and what was happening. A Hebrew-speaking Palestinian, escorted by her cousin from Haifa, on her way back to Israel, were waiting for a cab that would transfer her through the checkpoint. So, this was a case where a blue ID card holder actually was granted permission to go to the West Bank and return to Israel.A farmer who wanted to transfer 4 containers of oil was waiting for an opportunity; another tried to pass with two sacks of tobacco, but was denied passage. We asked the District Coordination Office (DCO) representative whether it was permitted to bring in containers of oil, and if so, how many. He said he would allow 2 containers. The farmer with the oil gave the one with the tobacco 2 containers in an effort to bring in as much as he could in that person's car. The CP commander discovered the "conspiracy" and was furious: "You will never transfer anything while I'm on duty, I know you!"Our efforts to talk with someone at the Salem DCO were not successful; this one is away and that one is out and the third just left and no one knows when he'll be back....And what about the solemn promise that the olive picking will go on for as long as needed?And what about people who brought olives to the oil press near Jenin, and want to return the oil to their homes? And why does the army deny passage of merchandise in what they term "commercial quantities" in Rihan, while allowing it in Tul Karem or Jalama?And why does a person with vegetables or eggs need to make a time- consuming bypass, traveling extra kilometers and wasting money, in order to bring it into Barta'a or to another village in the seam line area?And what has all this to do with the security of the State of Israel?