Reihan, Shaked, Wed 2.1.08, Morning

Reihan, Shaked, Wednesday, 2.1.08 am

Observers: Yocheved G, Chana H

06:05 - 09:00

06:05 Reihan Checkpoint

We were told that the checkpoint has opened today at 05:45.

A group of adult workers are waiting in the upper parking lot, having passed without delays. The younger ones are delayed in the inspection rooms and are late for their transport to work.

Cold and rainy but under the other roof only women are gathered  . The men will shelter there only after the women have traveled to work.

06:10 – the young workers are beginning to come out of the terminal. We hear mostly complaints, but mostly because of the fact that workers keep arriving at four in the morning in order to be first in line. We descend the sleeve and encounter workers who tell us that "it’s okay today." According to the noise inside, the terminal is full of people. Two positions are operating, and people keep coming out.

06:25 – still waiting for those delayed.

06:30 – in the Palestinian parking lot ten vehicles are waiting with produce. Because of the rain, the eggs are transferred into the Transits without pallets.

Four cars are being checked by dogs in the new shed. Average checking time – 20 minutes.

07:00 Shaked Checkpoint

The soldiers arrive exactly at 07:00, and passage starts after five minutes.

30 people wait on the West Bank side (under a roof) to cross into the Seam Zone. The teachers who work in Umm Reihan only come out at 07:25.

We leave at 07:35 as schoolchildren and adults are passing in both ways.

07:40 Reihan Checkpoint

Produce inspection began at 07:10. The vans were put into the enclosed compound immediately without any preliminary check.

The rain has stopped and the checkpoint is waking to activity. I. is shuttling back and forth without cease; he says that traffic at Mevo Dotan is okay for everyone, drivers and residents.

The first three vans arrive around 08:20, and four more are taken in to the enclosed compound.

Workers who went through to work in Israel this morning returned at 08:40 to the West Bank because, after covering the whole distance, they were told that today is a holiday.

People who crossed at Bartaa on their way to Jenin (where they live) complain that they were delayed more than an hour in the terminal, but couldn’t say why.

A young man from Amriha, who isn’t a driver, comes to Reihan to take people. As he passed Mevo Dotan, his ID was taken from him, with the promise that it would be returned when he comes back with passengers.

We leave at 09:00.[L]