Reihan, Shaked, Tue 10.3.09, Morning

Translation: Y.B.S

 6:20 - Rihan The checkpoint opens as usual. The Palestinian car park is relatively empty, people who arrive on site, go through immediately. Five cars wait to cross over to the Seam Line zone. A man approaches us and tells us that he owns land by East Barta'a (on the Palestinian side) and he is denied renewal of his agriculture passage permit, they are willing to renew the permit only for his 60 years old mother, who is unable to work. Neta takes his personal details but reminds him, that now it is much more difficult to obtain an agriculture permit.
 6:50 There are already 10 pickup trucks with goods on the West bank side (inspection would begin at 7) as well as three cars.
At the end of the sleeve there are workers waiting for transportation to work. We  timed passage:15-20 minutes.At the vehicles' checkpoint a new sign was added , stating that it is forbidden to photograph. We walk down inside the sleeve to the terminal, a few women who were denied passage, call us. We yell back and ask the clerks inside  the windows (two are manned for a puzzling few minutes), as it turns out the Biometer (which identifies a person's hand) does not recognize them and they were told to go to the DCO to settle the matter.Neta calls the DCO to inquire how come women from the seamstress group who go through daily are delayed. He says that there are things we are not aware of.
At the same time when  Netta is on the phone with the DCO I talk to a fellow who wait for his friend. He shows me that at the Salem DCO a mistake was made when his passage permit was printed without a date which causes him to go through an expended inquiry every morning.As far as I am concerned, the headline of today's visit should be:"The wonders of the occupation's technology"

 7:30 Shaked-Tura checkpoint
Two vehicles wait for passage into the West Bank. The second in line reports that today's soldiers were ok in inspecting the cars and they let cars go through fast.
On the West Bank side about 7 people wait to get into the inspection booth. A Hammar vehicles is parked in the center with its engine on - as usual.....
There are still restrictions for transferring animals due to the mouth and hoof disease, but a heard that has a veterinarian permit is allowed through.
We watched the usual two heards go through today.