ברטעה-ריחן, עאנין

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Observers: 
Neta G. and Tami R. (Reporting and Photography),Translation:  Marcia L.
May-23-2016
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Morning
coffee cups tami ritove.jpg

Barta’a-Reihan Checkpoint, 05:50
A long, orderly line of Palestinian workers stretches from the road to the turnstile.  The volunteer attendant, A., directs the workers and insists on an orderly approach to the turnstile. The vehicle parking lot is also more orderly and accessible.  It is possible that we are feeling the influence of the attendants who worked here a week ago?  In the meantime, they obviously stopped working because of a dispute between the Barta’a Council and the Jenin Governorate. Someone in the parking lot tries to sell coffee in paper cups from inside his car. The administrator of the checkpoint doesn’t agree to this. There is already a coffee and pastry kiosk inside the sleeveinfo-icon leading to the terminal.  The kiosk belongs to a settler. 
Cups of coffee being distributed in the parking lot.  (See photo.)

The pace of entry is reasonable. We observed between 40-50 people and more who enter with each opening of the turnstile.  The turnstile stopped turning each time for two minutes.

An elderly Palestinian complains to us that despite the fact that his son had a permit to pass through, they delayed him more than the usual amount of time. Another Palestinian turned the prayer beads in his hand, whose colors were those of the Palestinian flag.

6:30 – Five windows are working inside the terminal.  The duration of passage, measured from the waiting in line until the exit, is about 20 minutes.

Agricultural Checkpoint Anin 214 – 06:50

An army vehicle waits inside the checkpoint between two closed gatesinfo-icon.  With a delay of half an hour and only after the arrival of an additional vehicle, the checkpoint gate was opened. 
“Do you remember me Sivan . . .” one of the soldiers sings a popular song.  Another ordinary day of his army service.
Fifty-eight male farmer and one female farmer leave for work from the village of Anin in the West Bank to the Seamline Zone.  Apart from the morning greetings in Arabic and Hebrew, we received an explanation of the banality of the occupation; that there are barbed wire fences, gates and delays:  “The soldiers are totally OK today … sweet soldiers . . .nice soldiers.”  One young man exposed a bare shoulder under his sweater.  He was wearing a shirt without sleeves.  He was proud that they didn’t send him back home today with the claim that he was not dressed in clothes for agricultural work as it is written in his permit.
Three tractors pass. One was sent back.  The reason:  It was manufactured before 1995!  A new rule of the checkpoint.
At 16:00 M. telephones Neta.  The checkpoint that is supposed to be opened at 15:00 is still closed.  Neta tries to call the District Coordination Office four times between 16:00 and 17:30.  Among the answers she received were “We will clarify,” “The patrol is on the way,” “just a few more minutes.”  At 17:45 M. notifies that he passed through.  A delay of almost 3 hours!

07:30 – A minibus picks up five female students and one male student in uniform, for one more day of school in Umm Reihan, children of a Bedouin family who lives on the edge of the checkpoint.

 

Tura-Shaked Checkpoint – 07:45
Quiet. A few cars and a small number of people passing.
We left.