Irtah (Sha'ar Efrayim)

Share:

Place:

Irtah (Sha'ar Efrayim)

Observers:

Edith M. (translation), Varda Z., (reporting)

Aug-21-2016

|

Morning

Dawn. Another calm day.

3:45 On our way to the separation barrier we heard something from the loudspeaker, and figured that the gates info-icon were opening on time. The first people to get through the checkpoint came out three minutes later, but the exit turnstiles still weren't open. A small crowd collected before they opened, two minutes later, after the guard at the entrance spoke to the guards inside.

After checking progress by the separation barrier, we walked around to the exit again. Only one of the turnstiles was working. We reported this to the guard, who said they knew and were working on it. Soon the turnstile started turning again.

Three people who we were watching for, who entered the building around 3:55, got out eight minutes later.

Around 4:10 we picked more people to watch for. Two of them got out in eight minutes, but the other two didn't appear after more than half an hour. We don't know if they were turned back, or if they were held up inside and did get through eventually. If they were held up, worry about that, eventuality would explain why people come so early, and why they lie down and go to sleep on the ground once they've made it through.

While we were waiting by the exit, our presence concerned a group of men who had just come out. One of them asked us what we were doing there. We explained and he said, then you're trying to help the workers? He went back and reassured his friends.

Today, again, there was no pressure at the entrance.

4:50 We left.

Location Description

Irtah (Sha'ar Efrayim)

See all reports for this place

The checkpoint is for Palestinians only. It is the main barrier to the passage of workers from the northern West Bank to Israel.
Workers with a permit to work in Israel and also for trade (with appropriate permissions), medicine, and visiting prisoners.
One can cross the checkpoint only on foot. The checkpoint is located north of Road 557 and south of Tulkarm. Operated by a civil security company, opening hours: between 4:00 and 19:00 on weekdays.
As members of Machsom Watch, we began our shifts to this location in 2007.
We arrived before it opened at 4 in the morning and report since, on the harsh conditions and the long and crowded queues of workers. The workers who pass by continue their journey by transportation to work throughout Israel.

In the first period of its activity, about 3,000 and then 5,000 people passed through this checkpoint every day. Due to the small number of checking points and arbitrary delays for long periods of time in the "rooms", workers feared losing their transportation.
Hence workers leave their homes at 2:30 at night to be among the first. Today, 15,000 pass and the transition is faster. Workers are still leaving their homes very early to get past the checkpoint at 7 p.m.

In an adjacent compound, there is a terminal for the transfer of goods on a commercial scale, using the back-to-back method.