'Anin, Barta'a-Reihan, Tura-Shaked

06:30 – 09:45

It is Purim today and there is a closure only to those leaving the West Bank for work in Israel.*

At the Shaked checkpoint they also would not let us exit to the industrial area, Shahak (seamline zone).* There are fewer Palestinians because of the closure and the lateness of the morning hour *.  Our French guest, who examines the economic conditions of the residents of East Barta’a within the framework of a survey project, was interested in seeing a passage for Palestinians who need income and who work in Israel. 

Agricultural Checkpoint Anin, 06:30

The checkpoint was opened a few minutes before the official time.  

The residents complained about the aggressiveness of the checkpoint soldiers, about the Bedouin unit, and especially about someone who, it appears, is the commander of the shift:  they scream, do a search of their clothing and underneath their clothes.  According to them, at least 7 people were returned home because of a suspicion that they were not on their way to work on the land.  This is an old game:  “I see that according to your clothes that you are not going to work on your land . . .”  The army is more nervous than usual these days.  We were asked to speak with one of the soldiers on this shift but a senior officer forbid him from making contact. . .

A man of about 60 apologized that he doesn’t know English well (in order to converse with Yoachim) but he knows Spanish, Portuguese and Italian . . . His story:  He studied medicine in Italy and worked in Brazil.  When he returned to Anin, and requested a transit permit to work in the hospital in Jenin, the Israelis would not recognize his doctor’s certificate and would not grant him a transit permit.  Today he does not work as a doctor.  A young man requested to know what his friend needs to do about an agricultural permit that they won’t renew for him.   He took the telephone number for the Protection of Individual Rights (We were amazed to hear that the center was suddenly revealed?? For several years we have referred problems of transfer permits to them. )

Tura-Shaked Checkpoint, 07:20

People are angry because the checkpoint opened at 07:00 and not at 06:30 as was agreed upon with the Occupation force not long ago.  Only on the first four days of the week, the checkpoint passage begins at 06:30; on Thursday, Friday and Shabbat, it opens at 07:00 and therefore it is difficult to arrive at work on time.  Relative to what we are used to, many more than usual passed through at that hour.