Barta'a-Reihan, Tura-Shaked

06:10 – Barta’a-Reihan Checkpoint

In the parking lot on the Palestinian side, we saw two very long lines of young workers, most of them working in construction in Harish City. Pleasant, quiet,

they move in a steady stream through the only turnstile at the entrance of the terminal.  Palestinian attendants, with clubs and smiles, keep the order.  Someone volunteers to stop the movement in the direction of the turnstile to allow a change in direction, so that three workers returning from their night shift in the Seamline Zone, can pass through to their homes in the West Bank. 

At 07:00 there was hardly any line, and anyone who arrived passed through with no waiting.  Two children, about 10 and 11, clean the filthy parking lot under the supervision of their father.  We waited a long time for a man who had requested that Elia pay his traffic fine for him. However, Elia wasn’t able to do this because a ticket given in the Occupied Territories doesn’t show ion the computers in Israel. The fine must be paid at the post office in the settlement of Beit El.  In order to return the ticket and give the money to the man, we waited for him until 07:50 and therefore missed the children's passing at Tura Checkpoint.

07:50 – Tura-Shaked Checkpoint

Light traffic at the checkpoint.  Two older pupils recite from their notebooks on their way to a test.  We picked up a teacher who was obviously late for her transportation and we let her off in time for school in Umm Reihan.