Northern checkpoints: A farmer was not allowed to cross at A’anin Agricultural Checkpoint because he was wearing nice clothes.
Barta’a – Reihan Checkpoint
This is the largest of the northern checkpoints in the northwest area of the West Bank. The checkpoint is operated by a civilian security company under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defense. The checkpoint allows workers to cross into Israel and the seamline zone in the Barta’a area and cargo to be brought across from the West Bank. Some of the people can cross into Israel in the morning and return to the West Bank in the afternoon, while others must cross at Irtach in the morning and can return here in the afternoon. Since many people are no longer allowed to cross here in the morning fewer people now cross here, and the number each day is about two thousand.
When we arrived here at 05:50 we saw that there were fewer people and only four inspection windows were operating. We also saw very few new construction sites in the town of Harish. There was no waiting line and the checkpoint was not crowded since workers would arrive a bit later, and we left at 06:20.
A’anin Agricultural Checkpoint – This checkpoint is only open two days a week in the morning and afternoon. Farmers from A’anin cross to tend their fields on the other side of the separation fence who have permits. People over age 55 are allowed to cross without any special permits.
We arrived at 06:30 and the soldiers were already there. Crossing began at 06:35 and 34 people and two tractors crossed.
One of the people crossing was detained and was not permitted to cross. His friends told us that he was told by the soldiers that he was not dressed appropriately for agricultural work. By 06:50 everyone had crossed.
Tura – Shaked Checkpoint – This is a “Fabric of Life” checkpoint where children cross to go to school in Tura (West Bank) and students cross to go to the university in Jenin. Today the school children are on a two-week vacation.
The checkpoint is supposed to open at 06:30, but today the soldiers only opened it at 06:50. 7 cars crossed to the seamline zone , 3 crossed to the West Bank and about 20 people walked across to the seamline zone.