'Anin, Reihan, Shaked, Mon 31.3.08, Morning

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Observers: 
Anna N.S., Irit A (guest), Neta G. (reporting)
Mar-31-2008
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Morning
Translation: Devorah K.
06:10 - 09:20

06:10 A'anin CP
Just when we arrived at the CP, the soldiers locked the gatesinfo-icon. They were called out to an incident in the Separation Fence. They said that they would come back to re-open them. Three people succeeded in going through before they locked the gates and about fifty remained waiting in the rain. We went to the Reihan-Barta'a CP.

06:20  Reihan-Barta'a CP
Workers and seamstresses are emerging from the sleeveinfo-icon going in the direction of the seamline zone and getting into the vehicles that are waiting to take them to their work places. "Today everything is ok", they say.
The last of the seamstresses reach the lower parking lot on the Palestinian side, and are swallowed up immediately in the terminal. It is pouring. Six pickup trucks are already waiting for inspection, which will begin only at 07:00; and many drivers are waiting for non-existent passengers. W., the 'coffee boy', is napping at his stand.

06:50 - We returned to the A'anin CP.
People tell us that the CP was re-opened after about a quarter of an hour, and then again, at 06:30, the soldiers locked the gate in the direction of A'anin. The people are waiting in the area between us and the middle gate. Today no tractors are waiting. A man on crutches goes through limping badly. Irit and I help him by driving him to his destination. Anna remains at the A'anin CP.

07:30 Shaked-Tura CP
Young pupils go through running to school in Tura on the other side of the fence. About twenty people are waiting to go through to the seamline zone. Women students who are studying at the Open University in Jenin and three taxis are waiting to go through to the West Bank. A soldier warns us that if we take pictures of the inspections, they will be especially meticulous and people will be able to go through very slowly. He does not listen when we tell him that we are allowed to take pictures and that the threat to slow down the inspection is illegal. His friend understands this and says that there is no such thing as slowing the passage because of us. This morning the women students are required to go through the inspection pavilion. One of the people tells us that whenever there are new soldiers, the procedures change.

08:00 A'anin CP
The bags that belong to the people going through are inspected on the wet ground. There is no table for this purpose. When  people crowd together and step through the middle gate a short distance, the soldiers stop the inspection and force them back.
08:15: About 15 people are still waiting in the area between the gates. Three people were not allowed to go through. We do not know why.
Four people ask to go back to A'anin. They had been working with a tractor from Umm-a-Reihan, which broke down. The soldiers said that they would let them go back to their village after they finish with the passage of the people going to the seamline zone. People become very impatient and, again, step through the middle gate. A man who is being inspected at that moment helps the soldiers and shouts at his friends to step back.
08:25 We left before the passage was completed.

08:35 Reihan-Barta'a CP
People continue to emerge from the sleeve to the upper parking lot, on the side of the seamline zone, and get into the vehicles that are there to give them rides.
08:45 In the lower Palestinian parking lot, four loaded pickup trucks are waiting. Four others are in the inspection compound. Taxi drivers with their old cars are still waiting for passengers who do not show up.
W.'s competitor has already opened his cafe-car. In a place where there is not enough trade for one person to make a living, two are trying to earn a livelihood.
09:20 A taxi arrives at the upper vehicle CP with four children who want to go through to the West Bank. The security guard tells them that they will not go through without their father. It turns out that this morning they already came to the seamline zone, and the security guard told them then that they would not be able to return without their father. Maybe the sled near the vehicle CP was put there for them? I guess not.