Northern Checkpoints: The occupation will be lit up and shed light.
Today, Lag Ba’Omer and the 18th day of Ramadan, and the weather is extremely hot.
15:00 – Tura – Shaked Checkpoint
It was very hot. Three women and a man crossed from the West Bank to the seamline zone. A car then crosses and picks them up together with another woman. Two women crossed on foot. One of them was a resident of Yaabed dressed in traditional clothing decorated with gold-colored sequins. She was waiting for her sister and brother-in-law, residents of Um Reihan in the seamline zone, to pick her up and travel to Jerusalem. It was difficult for her to stand in her high-heeled shoes and she took them off. We were surprised that her permit allowed her to cross here rather than at Barta’a-Reihan. We can never figure out the secrets of the checkpoints and permits.
The garbage container, which has been mentioned many times as an ecological hazard and polluting the entire area, was moved to the edge of the security road. Now the garbage will belong strictly to the IDF.
15:30 – We drove to Hermesh Checkpoint and Mevo Dotan Checkpoint. Traffic was moving without delay at both checkpoints. Along Route 585 that connects the two we saw black plastic pipes that would contain electric cables for lampposts. The poles were lying on the ground near Hermesh Checkpoint. They will light up the road and the occupation will be lit up and shed light.
16:00 – Reihan – Barta’a Checkpoint, Palestinian Side
The parking lot was not full. People were coming home from work and going to their cars or to genuine or improvised taxis that were waiting for them. It is hard to understand how people can work in this heat during the fast of Ramadan without drinking all day.
The checkpoint was operating quietly and in an orderly manner. There were seven (!) Palestinian attendants. We had never seen so many and we had no idea what they were doing.
16:20 – We left. Ramadan Kareem!