Translator: Bracha Ben-Avraham

Reihan Checkpoint: 07:00There are two vans in the upper parking area. The transport vehicle that brought the morning shift to the checkpoint leaves empty.  The yellow gate in the middle of the checkpoint is already open (we missed the opening announcement of “Good morning.  Passage may begin.”  Four cars are being checked.  The road in front of the checkpoint is empty.  Later on no more than 4-5 cars wait on the road.

We entered through the sleeve. There are two new metal U-shaped gates painted white standing near the entrance to the terminal, and two laminated signs hanging on the fence at the end of the sleeve with red writing in Arabic.  We stood at the opening to the terminal.  There is constant movement of people in both directions.

The partition inside the terminal is closed and one window is operating.  At 07:10 people begin to come out of the terminal and greet us “Good morning.”  The owner of the nursery tells us that his son has not yet received an entry permit to Barta’a to come in with him.

We ask about the new U-shaped fence and the signs.  No one is familiar with them and they shrug their shoulders and try and explain to us what is written on them.  We eventually understand that the left-hand sign says something like “Only for people from the seamline zone,” while the right-hand sign says “for others.” 

People arrive at the gate in the lower parking lot and go in immediately - as usual in groups of no more than five.

07:50:  We kept an eye on three people who went in and noted when they came out of the upper opening of the terminal: one came out at 08:30 and the other at 08:35.  People were standing in line at the window for 10 minutes after they came out of the rooms.  The one window that is in operation serves those who are going out as well as those coming in. and there are many people on both sides.

08:35: There are 8 transits in the upper parking area.  They fill up with people and leave.

Shaked Checkpoint – 08:45
A flag on the revolving gate to Tura reads: “Brigade 9306 is My Family,” and the same flag is flapping “proudly” on the jeep that passes by.  Aside from that, nothing is new in the bleak Shaked Checkpoint.

We left at 09:00.