East Barta'a Junction: Today there is no passage in the fence
15:20 – 16:20
15;20 – Tura Checkpoint
Today also, women with packages and picnic baskets (but without permits to enter Israel), leave from the checkpoint in the direction of the prayer corner on the side of the road in the Seamline Zone, to travel to Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. They tell us that during the month of Ramadan, every weekend (Thursday through Saturday), buses leave in the afternoon for Al-Aqsa, and they remain there until midnight. A large group of men, women, and children arrive from the direction of the single home on the side of the checkpoint. They cross at the breach in the separation fence and are picked up in cars to travel to Barta’a Checkpoint, where buses leave for Jerusalem. All this activity occurs, obviously, under the eyes of the soldiers at the checkpoint. Assumedly the men have permits to cross to Israel.
Two young men who return to the West Bank from work in the Seamline Zone, tell us that in the morning, the soldiers open the checkpoint only at 07:30, late by one hour.
A family with children and baskets of goods return from Jenin (West bank) to Umm Reihan (in the Seamline Zone). Few cars cross in two directions, with no delays.
16:00 – Barta’a Checkpoint
From the upper parking lot, one bus leaves for Al Aqsa. Most of the passengers are women.
Tens of workers return from work in the Seamline Zone and in Israel. Some of them return from a week’s stay. Along with the workers, families from East Barta’a cross to visit relatives in the West Bank. Few people return to Barta’a from the West Bank. The lower parking lot is relatively empty, proving that because of the fast, workers return home early.
16:20 – On the road that leads to Harish, around the junction of East Barta’a, next to the popular breach, and for a change, soldiers stand there to prevent passage.