Northern checkpoints: Palestinian life is full of fences and checkpoints

16.00 – 14.40

ON our way to Barta’a Checkpoint we saw workers getting out of a car near the hole in the separation barrier on Route 611.  They were returning from work in Harish and got into a vehicle that was waiting for them. 

Reihan-Barta’a Checkpoint, 14:40

The seamstresses who work in Barta’a were returning from their work in East Barta’a.   They work in four factories that produce sheets and parachutes for export.  They leave for work each morning at 05:30 and return each day at 14:30.  We also met two women who have jobs cleaning.  None of the women were vaccinated against COVID-19 and they don’t talk about it.

Construction workers were beginning to return from work.  The owner of the kiosk reported that fewer people cross at the checkpoint because many people cross through holes in the separation barrier.

15:15  Tura Checkpoint was quiet and dirty as usual.

Next to the tobacco field we discovered a new broad paved road leading to the lone house next to the checkpoint.  The house is in the seamline zone but belongs to the village of Tura that is in the West Bank.  A car loaded with building materials drove to the house.  Evidently the Palestinians are also building and expanding their homes.  In the tobacco field there were a lot of water containers and it looked like people were planning to cultivate more crops.

Two cars crossed to the West Bank and one to the seamline zone quickly.

A’anin Agricultural Checkpoint 15:45 – M., his son, and their tractor had been waiting to cross since 14:00 in hopes that someone would come to open the checkpoint officially.  Five women, an 8-month old baby, and a man carrying a large microwave oven hurried to cross through the hole in the fence.  Evidently they had come through the hole earlier. 

An officer in a military vehicle who was inspecting the line stopped to talk to us.  After a pleasant conversation he returned to the checkpoint and opened the gate for M.