Mevo Dotan (Imriha), Reihan, Shaked, Tue 23.2.10, Morning
Translation: Bracha B.A.
06:55 – Shaked Tura Checkpoint
There are 12 students and three cars waiting on the road from the army base on the seamline side of the checkpoint. On the other side, next to the village of Tura, there are about 20 people waiting next to the turnstile. The first gate opens at 07:03 and four minutes later the inner gate opens.The soldiers open the inspection booth and immediately to towards what looks like a generator.
At 07:15 the young girl going to Hadassah Hospital passes through with her father without delay, and at 07:16 the principal of the school at Yaabed arrives at the checkpoint in his car, enters the inspection booth, and continues on his way at 07:18.
On the other hand the taxi with students is delayed until 07:35 when the last student came out of the inspection booth. Those standing next to the turnstile begin to pass through to the seamline zone at 07:20. The school children pass through quickly, but the cars and taxis are checked simultaneously on both sides of the concrete blocks and then have to back up, drive past the blocks, and continue on their way after being checked.
At 07:25 the van that drives the small children to school arrives. It appears that there is a warm relationship between them and the soldiers: greetings are exchanged, laughter, and pats on the back, and at 07:28 they continue on their way. Five men and a woman with a baby
, all well-dressed, are waiting next to the inner gate. A soldier come out of the inspection booth and hands them certificates and they go through to the seamline zone. A young woman and two students pass through the checkpoint in the direction of the West Bank without being checked.
07:35 – There are four people next to the turnstile, two cars, passing through here and there. The checkpoint this morning appears to be cheerful and busy. Now things are calmed down. A soldier asks me to leave my position near the security road. "We're concerned about you."
08:10 – Mavo Dotan (Emricha)
We took a short tour of the settlement of Mevo Dotan after presenting our ID cards at the gate. Many of the houses are abandoned and the yards and public areas are neglected, but the view to the north is pretty. We then returned to the checkpoint which is manned by two soldiers. A driver passing through told us that he came by because we were there.
Usually the soldiers are scornful of people, eating and cracking sunflower seeds and making them wait for a quarter of an hour. It now appears that people pass through quickly and without delay until a strange situation arises: a driver waiting alone for a sign to drive forward towards the checkpoint. A soldier lights a cigarette and deliberately stalls until he lets the driver through. Here, too, we are told to keep back "for our own safety."
08:35 – Reihan-Barta'a Checkpoint
The lower parking lot is full. A., the driver, says, "That's it, I'm going home, there's no work. Things will be OK." At 08:37 a group of workers arrives, and one was seen coming out at 08:55. There are 10 cars waiting in line in front of the vehicle inspection facility. We are surprised at how crowded it is and a security guard tells us that the facility is full at the moment. A taxi is detained for 8 minutes, and a woman carrying a baby, with her head covered and only a slit for her eyes, passes through the checkpoint on foot, gets back into the taxi and leaves.
At 08:54 a line of 9 cars enters the inspection facility after 6 cars leave.
At 09:00 there are still people coming out of the terminal. One person is angry and says he does not understand why he was not permitted to bring frames for beehives. He had to send them back and was delayed at the checkpoint for an hour. Someone says that the workers in the checkpoint are slacking off and not doing their job.