'Anin, Barta'a-Reihan, Tura-Shaked

05.45. Barta’a- Reihan checkpoint. Many people and vehicles fill the upper car-park next to the seam-line. Many continue to arrive from the terminal, including the seamstresses who work in Barta’a, with whom we are friendly. The Palestinian car-park is already full of vehicles; those at the top of the road to Zabeda are still empty, as are the improvised car-parks. To our surprise the queue is not long today, although people enter the terminal in relatively small groups, 25-55 people each time. Among the many men, is one woman with a baby.

Among the trucks and tenders waiting for checking is one loaded with sheep, perhaps in preparation for Eid il-Adha.  We followed one young man and saw that it took him 10 minutes between his arrivals in the line until his exit from the terminal.

A Palestinian acquaintance insisted on giving us oil, cucumbers and olives in bottles and afterwards we were sent to the car-checking shed, stressing that they would check only the bottles – and indeed this is what happened.[?]

06.30. A’anin checkpoint. The soldiers were early and opened on time.  54 men passed two children and three tractors. Three people were not allowed to pass – we do not know why. Tami photographed the faded flag. The soldiers said it was forbidden to photograph and could not be persuaded otherwise. But when they saw we had photographed only the flag and not ‘our forces,’ they were convinced.

07.10. Turah-Shaked checkpoint. Nursery school children and primary school pupils pass from the seam-line zone to Turah that is across the fence. Tami says,’checkpoint  children.’ Some try to talk to us – a shame we do not know Arabic.  Others, the majority, do not like us at all – they have cause. One little girl who arrived alone, was afraid of us.

At about 7.15, movement begins from the W. Bank to the seam-line zone.  Women wait in the shed for vehicles that are held up for checking. They are seamstresses who work in the Shaha”k industrial area.   One man tells us that today is a good day, that holders of 00 permits (for over-54’s) passed without checking. Another says that because of a fault in the generator they opened the station late and the checking was slow. He says that even the passage to the W.Bank sometimes takes 25 minutes.

07.30.    A horse and cart pass.  On the other side remain a few people who want to pass to the seam-line zone. We leave.