Routine of conquest and flowering of Hatzav (squill)
The lockdown, imposed on Rosh HaShanah at the checkpoints of the West Bank, was extended until after Shabbat because of the escape of six prisoners from Gilboa prison. Clarification at the District Coordination Office (DCO) revealed that the lockdown is not imposed on the permanent residents of the Seamline Zone or on those who have permission to work in the Seamline Zone.
14:40 -Tura-Shaked Checkpoint
The traffic is relatively alert. A tractor with a cart passes to the West Bank passes with no inspection. Several cars pass in two directions. A resident of Daher al Malec waits for his daughter and granddaughter who arrive from the West Bank. A woman with two children passes through the sleeve
(the enclosed passage for pedestrians) and after her, the husband in their car. Everyone is dressed festively. Two drivers welcome us with much friendliness. The area around the checkpoint is filthy as usual, but a Palestinian cleaner works in the area. Cleanliness for only the soldiers. The settlement of Shaked next to the checkpoint and to Daher al Malec village, “wins” a new wall.
We turn to Highway 611 and travel to the entrance of East Barta’a. We didn’t see people pass through the breach in the fence. To our understanding, they also didn’t pass through today because there were no cars parked at the foot of the villages of Kalkis and Daher al Abed that are beyond the fence. At the entrance to East Barta’a only five cars were parked. Is it because of the Lockdown?
15:10 - We passed by Barta’a Checkpoint. The parking lot next to the vehicle checkpoint was full of trucks loaded with merchandise. The parking lot on the Palestinian side was very full, two parking lots above Highway 596 were almost empty.
15:20 Ya’bed-Dotan Checkpoint
The pillboxes on the way, and the checkpoint itself, were not staffed. The traffic flowed in two directions. We were a bit surprised, because of the proximity of the checkpoint to Jenin, which is infamous after all the stories about the escape of the six prisoners
15:35 - Harmish Checkpoint
On the sides of Highway 585 there was a splendid blossoming of squill (a bulbous, flowering herb, also called sea onion). The highway leads in the direction of Cafin, Baaka al Sharkia, and Tulkarem. Once there was a locked gate here and because of that we traveled on detour roads. It has already been years that the gate is open, and the checkpoint is not staffed.
15:50 - Barta’a-Reihan Checkpoint, the Palestinian side
The parking lot is full, but not as it is on normal days. Someone tells us about a simple accident that happened to him around Shechem. An Israeli driver injured his car and afterward gave him the details of his insurance. We saw the small injury. We didn’t understand what the man wanted from us. According to his thinking, we are a human rights organization and therefore we should take care of this. Perhaps. The new buffet is open. We enjoyed the shaved ice for two shekels. We didn’t see the coffee boys today. In the parking lot next to the vehicle checkpoint, there were only three trucks.
16:10 - People come down the sleeve, an enclosed roofed passageway, on their way to the West Bank. Obviously because of the lockdown, no one passed through to Israel; only to the Seamline Zone.