Mahsom Yawabed: the beautiful view of the occupied land

15:00 – Tura-Shaked Checkpoint

One person waits in the shabby, filthy shed with a bench that has no place to sit. J. is an engineer and a resident of Tura, age 59, who retired early. Presently, he has a special sewing shop.  He is waiting for a client who will arrange inflatable installations to rent out for various occasions.  He speaks Hebrew and English and is allowed to pass through the checkpoint because he has an olive grove near the army camp.  At Barta’a Checkpoint he is allowed to cross because of his age.  He complains that the camp’s sewer spills over onto his grove and pollutes it.  He tells us that his wife has not received an agricultural permit for the last two years because of the policy change and that the Palestinian National Council in Jenin isn’t helping.  Three of his children are banned by the General Security Service, and according to him, he doesn’t know why.  We gave him the phone number of the center for individual protection (for the problem of an agricultural permit for his wife) and Sylvia’s notes (for the problem of his banned children).  We wish him good luck.  In the meantime, the client arrives to pick him up.  A group of women and children arrive at the shed dressed for a festival.  They wait for a vehicle to pick them up and take them to the Seamline Zone.

15:40 – In a failed attempt to deal with the sewer problem and the filth around the checkpoint, we arrive at the center that serves the settlements nearby.  There is a police station, a fire station, a Magen David Adom center, and the office of the deputy head of the Shomron Regional Council. A polite policeman referred us to the office mentioned above, which was closed at that hour.

16:10 – The road meant for Israelis at Barta’a Checkpoint is blocked because of some kind of work. We travel on the road meant for Palestinians. At this hour, many people return from their work in Israel and the Seamline Zone.   We pass through the Checkpoint.  The parking lots are still full.

16:20 – Hermesh Checkpoint

The checkpoint is wide open as usual lately. 

On our way to the Ya’bed-Dotan Checkpoint, we go up a hill whose high point is a pillbox, near the T junction on the road that rises from Highway 596, which then rises from Barta’a Checkpoint. The scene overlooks Amricha village, the town of Ya’bed ,and the beautiful surrounding area.

16:40 – Ya’bed-Dotan Checkpoint

A soldier observes from a balcony at the top of the guard tower at the checkpoint but does not interrupt the traffic. A vehicle from Nahal patrol stops next to us.   The soldiers, with guns drawn, but who were courteous, worried about our safety and reminded us that it is forbidden to pass over to an area beyond the checkpoint.  On our way to the car, a police car stopped, and two policemen got out.  Immediately a long line of cars and trucks formed.  We didn’t see that they stopped any car for inspection; perhaps just their presence caused the slowdown and even stopped the traffic movement.

17:10 Barta’a-Reihan Checkpoint, Palestinian Side

Workers continue to return from their jobs, most of them carrying blue lunch boxes in their hands.  The parking lot begins to empty, and it is possible to enter. The “coffee” children” sell coffee from a thermos and serve it in paper cups.  The peanut vendor is at his counter.  We asked why he was absent a while ago, and he answered that he had participated in a funeral. The tamarind at the buffet was delicious as always.

17:30 – At the vehicle inspection checkpoint they stopped us to check our identification, which took a little time.  We treated ourselves to coffee and cake in Harish, which continues to be built and become occupied before our eyes.