Barta'a-Reihan, Tura-Shaked, Ya'bed-Dotan
On our way to Barta'a Checkpoint, we visited Harish and decided to visit the settlement of Mevo Dotan as well, to try and talk to someone who was there. We bought gas in East Barta'a in the seamline zone and continued to West Barta'a. There is a great difference between the two towns. On the Western, Israeli side there are sidewalks and the streets are clean, while on the east side that is under Palestinian jurisdiction there is one long market street that is filthy but colorful, filled with summer dresses and colorful items. Gas can be purchased only with cash. The attendant was a computer sciences student studying in Jenin. We went from there to Tura Checkpoint.
15:30 – Tura Shaked Checkpoint
As usual, the checkpoint was sleepy and quiet. During the ten minutes that we were there, one family car passed. They greeted us and continued on their way to the West Bank. Two workers passed through on foot. Garbage from the army base was overflowing from the container near the waiting area.
We entered Dahar el-Malec to see whether the houses had been connected to electricity. No, there is still no electricity despite the fact that it already exists in the area.
15:30 – Yaabed Dotan Checkpoint, Mevo Dotan
The checkpoint on the way to Yaabed is not manned and cars drive through freely. We were warmly received by the guard at the gate to Mevo Dotan, overlooking Yaabed and the Dotan valley. He told us about the incidents that led to the awful event in which a group of soldiers and settlers surrounded a teenage girl from Yaabed, shouted at her and shot her. He is an experienced security man and was called to the settlement in time and heard about what was happening. While we were there he was warned not to speak to us about the events. A person followed us to the car, saying that he did not like this place at all and had to live here for financial reasons. He had arrived on the scene immediately as he heard shooting and was there when the girl was lying injured on the road. The rescue squad arrived within three minutes. After two hours Carmela Menasheh reported on the news that an unarmed soldier serving in Mevo Dotan, who was in civilian clothes, was apprehended by his commander for running away and failing to disarm the girl, who was armed with a screwdriver. The announcement stated that he was told that he should have disarmed her with his bare hands.
14:30 – Barta'a Reihan Checkpoint
We parked on the Palestinian side of the checkpoint, which was not full. Hadi was jolly, as usual, and invited us to sit next to him under the shed. We were joined by Ali, whose nephew, also Ali, was being treated at the children's hemo-oncology department at Rambam Hospital. His condition is much better now. Hadi was beaten by soldiers near Nablus, who had broken the windows in his car. He showed us pictures. He was not arrested or taken for an interrogation but was punished on the spot. We don't know where the soldiers were from or how to locate them.