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Last update - 09:11 29/06/2009
Privately run checkpoint stops Palestinians with 'too much food'
By Amira Hass
Tags: palestinians, israel news 

A West Bank checkpoint managed by a private security company is not allowing Palestinians to pass through with large water bottles and some food items, Haaretz has learned.

MachsomWatch discovered the policy, which Palestinian workers confirmed to Haaretz.

The Defense Ministry stated in response that non-commercial quantities of food were not being limited. It made no reference to the issue of water.
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The checkpoint, Sha'ar Efraim, is south of Tul Karm, and is managed for the Defense Ministry by the private security company Modi'in Ezrahi. The company stops Palestinian workers from passing through the checkpoint with the following items: Large bottles of frozen water, large bottles of soft drinks, home-cooked food, coffee, tea and the spice zaatar. The security company also dictates the quantity of items allowed: Five pitas, one container of hummus and canned tuna, one small bottle or can of beverage, one or two slices of cheese, a few spoonfuls of sugar, and 5 to 10 olives. Workers are also not allowed to carry cooking utensils and work tools.

MachsomWatch told Haaretz that Sunday, a 32-year-old construction worker from Tul Karm, who is employed in Hadera, was not allowed to carry his lunch bag through the checkpoint. The bag contained six pitas, 2 cans of cream cheese, one kilogram of sugar in a plastic bag, and a salad, also in a plastic bag.

The typical Palestinian laborer in Israel has a 12-hour workday, including travel time and checkpoint delays. Many leave home as early as 2 A.M. in order to wait in line at the checkpoint; tardiness to work often results in immediate dismissal. Workers return home around 5 P.M. The wait at the checkpoint can take one to two hours in each direction, if not longer.

The food quantities allowed by Modi'in Ezrahi do not meet the daily dietary needs of the workers, and they prefer not to buy food at the considerably more expensive Israeli stores.

MachsomWatch informed the Israel Defense Forces about the new bans but received no response, the organization said. Modi'in Ezrahi issued a statement saying questions should be directed to the Defense Ministry's crossings administration.

MachsomWatch activists said a security guard on duty told them the food restrictions were imposed due to "security and health risks." However, at the nearby Qalqilyah checkpoint, which is still run directly by the IDF, workers have been allowed to carry through all the food items banned at Sha'ar Efraim.

However, responsibility for the Qalqilyah checkpoint is supposed to be transferred to a private company this week, and workers voiced concerns that similar restrictions might be imposed there.

The IDF Spokesman's office said in a statement: "There are no limits on food quantities. They may take through food necessary for personal consumption during a day's work. When a worker arrives with a large quantity of goods intended for sale rather than for personal use, he is asked to pass through the goods crossing instead, where the goods are handled appropriately and with the appropriate customs checks. This crossing is intended for pedestrians and not for goods."

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      1.   how humiliating 04:39  |  Eman 29/06/09
      2.   How disgusting 04:48  |  wibism 29/06/09
      3.   Clearly not on the same page 05:03  |  Sabra 29/06/09
      4.   your time will come israel.. 06:09  |  ahmed 29/06/09
      5.   these people are sick, sick, sick 06:18  |  jake 29/06/09
      6.   true face of israel 06:19  |  Al 29/06/09
      7.   Israeli jews should be the first to come out against this 06:37  |  Rami of Nazareth 29/06/09
      8.   Amira, why don`t YOU come out on watch???? 06:43  |  The Machsom Watcher 29/06/09
      9.   Sounds like a prison to me 06:44  |  Rob Bennett 29/06/09
      10.   Pals not considered humans (Again) 07:09  |  Roger 29/06/09
      11.   Note, the first of all human rights is the right to live and to.. 07:22  |  Amihai 29/06/09
      12.   # 2 Slaves had the priviledge to eat, Palestinians do not! 07:28  |  Kris Lazar 29/06/09
      13.   food 07:29  |  rm 29/06/09
      14.   A shame on us... unless ofcourse we have none... 07:53  |  Esther 29/06/09
      15.   exaggerated story 07:56  |  Angry Arab - As`ad 29/06/09
      16.   Really, this, not the killings, is the oppression 08:02  |  Colin Wright 29/06/09
      17.   #!just like when i fly ! they dont allow this or that ?? 08:10  |  vhardman 29/06/09
      18.   Numer of olives should be increased to 11 08:15  |  Palestinian 29/06/09
      19.   No lox, no bagels, and no dignity 08:38  |  Morris Velntine 29/06/09
      20.   why? 08:40  |  tb 29/06/09
      21.   And they wonder why Palestinians hate Isrealis 09:08  |  Apa 29/06/09
      22.   v hardman 5 09:44  |  potobac 29/06/09
      23.   weight watchers anonymous 09:47  |  abraham 29/06/09
      24.   WRIGHT.Which part of"pass through goods crossing instead" 09:49  |  PETER SM 29/06/09
      25.   EMAN disgusting&humiliating they have to use a goods crossing 10:33  |  PETER SM 29/06/09
      26.   Never believe a single word that Amira Hass says 10:37  |  Steve Randolph 29/06/09
      27.   Israel the highest country on the planet 11:15  |  C2 29/06/09
      28.   Yes, Machsom Watch Sees. 11:30  |  Machsom Watcher 29/06/09
      29.   PETER SM 11:37  |  Mark T 29/06/09
      30.   Well stop hiding bombs in containers, bullets in cans 11:46  |  Dan 29/06/09
      31.   Just stupid 11:50  |  MBE 29/06/09
      32.   #6 potobac on the root cause of aproblem 11:54  |  v hardman 29/06/09
      33.   Somebody should confiscate the "security`s" food 12:15  |  Ivar 29/06/09
      34.   How many more self inflicted shots to the foot can Israel take... 12:23  |  Natallie Durson 29/06/09
      35.   V Hardma 12:25  |  Al 29/06/09
      36.   Who is responsible for this imbecility? 12:28  |  H.H.M 29/06/09
      37.   Dan, please read the article carefully. 12:29  |  The Machsom Watcher 29/06/09
      38.   This is hardly a rare occurrence 12:34  |  David 29/06/09
      39.   MARK T Another crossing IS available! Food is NOT being limited ! 12:34  |  PETER SM 29/06/09
      40.   It`s the way people treat those they view as inferior. 12:37  |  Michael 29/06/09
      41.   Reasonable regulations 12:52  |  A.S. 29/06/09
      42.   We`ll yet hear from the outsourcers (IDF) and the outsourced... 13:06  |  Esther 29/06/09
      43.   #35 al rewrites history and its not funny as he gets it 13:06  |  v hardman 29/06/09
      44.   Natallie #34... the outsourced would loose their jobs... 13:09  |  Esther 29/06/09
      45.   arab workers 13:11  |  Ray 29/06/09
      46.   PETER SM #25 I bet you`re a right 13:18  |  Roo 29/06/09
      47.   Al rewriting history 13:26  |  Tzfonit 29/06/09
      48.   Amira, why don`t YOU come out on watch???? 13:27  |  The Machsom Watcher 29/06/09
      49.   Just when we thought ----a new low from the light unto nations 13:38  |  Zero tolerance. 29/06/09
      50.   Peter SM. Time for EU to tax Israeli food then. 13:39  |  Michael 29/06/09
      51.   Common sense please 13:42  |  ZiSD 29/06/09
      52.   Machsom Watch - a must visit 13:42  |  Carol SCHELLER 29/06/09
      53.   too much food 13:44  |  rm 29/06/09
      54.   Al 13:44  |  Jake 1948 29/06/09
      55.   Pretty hefty lunch for someone supposedly "starving" 13:45  |  Malone 29/06/09
      56.   To Al 13:48  |  carlo 29/06/09
      57.   Dan thinks the 11th olive could explode #30 13:53  |  Roo 29/06/09
      58.   V Hardman and PETER SM 14:01  |  Murray 29/06/09
      59.   v hardman 32 14:13  |  potobac 29/06/09
      60.   Dan thinks the 11th olive could explode #30 14:26  |  Roo 29/06/09
      61.   By lunchbox! 14:35  |  Rolly 29/06/09
      62.   It is shocking 14:41  |  patriot 29/06/09
      63.   #25 Peter SM the daily ridicolous nonsense 14:49  |  Ardi 29/06/09
      64.   Durson 14:55  |  oz 29/06/09
      65.   Humanity 14:55  |  Daniela 29/06/09
      66.   This ranks up there with offering medical care for 14:58  |  Hebel 29/06/09
      67.   let them work in Jordan 15:02  |  Herbert Kaine 29/06/09
      68.   Food from one country to another 15:10  |  hen 29/06/09
      69.   #45 Herbert Kaine--future Palestinian Jew. 15:16  |  Roland 29/06/09
      70.   #43/4 potobac and murray make argument a bad joke 15:22  |  v hardman 29/06/09
      71.   Israel Homous policies 15:24  |  C2 29/06/09
      72.   peter sm 15:27  |  A.M. 29/06/09
      73.   Malone from Hfx #40 Read the first 4 words of the article 15:28  |  Roo 29/06/09
      74.   oz it was Bush who prevented those photos 15:28  |  Melanie 29/06/09
      75.   #46 Murray--no thks they are all yours 15:34  |  Claire 29/06/09
      76.   What has happened to the wholy land? 15:37  |  Mikael 29/06/09
      77.   AM You mean if tax rates jump after 1 extra shekel to the next 15:52  |  PETER SM 29/06/09
      78.   ROO what are you talking about? 15:56  |  PETER SM 29/06/09
      79.   Houmostan? 16:01  |  Robert Norman 29/06/09
      80.   a nice dietary suppliment - 1 kilo of sugar per day 16:04  |  Boris 29/06/09
      81.   MICHAEL UK The article says customs check! Tax? where? 16:07  |  PETER SM 29/06/09
      82.   Palestinian Arab diet 16:09  |  howiej 29/06/09
      83.   MachsomWatch - it says a lot groups like this exist now in Israel 16:09  |  Tcherkessi 29/06/09
      84.   #70..Roo 16:09  |  Malone 29/06/09
      85.   #67 V Hardman 16:11  |  Simon Bickerstaff 29/06/09
      86.   PETER SM`s faulty wiring 16:17  |  Mark T 29/06/09
      87.   I suppose 16:19  |  Chris Linthwaite 29/06/09
      88.   #75 psm- does 5 pitas = a commercial enterprise 16:20  |  Labhras 29/06/09
      89.   Hummus as a weapon 16:20  |  Rolly 29/06/09
      90.   We are working on Sha`ar Ephraim (Irtah) 16:27  |  The Machsom Watcher 29/06/09
      91.   MURRAY/ARDI.not Palestinian trolls They like you 16:28  |  PETER SM 29/06/09
      92.   Tzfonit and Machsom Watcher 16:30  |  Natalie 29/06/09
      93.   Machsom Watcher 16:32  |  Natalie 29/06/09
      94.   Who is responsible? 16:33  |  Anthony 29/06/09
      95.   melanie 16:35  |  oz 29/06/09
      96.   Peter SM 80. You`re damaging your credibility Pete. 16:36  |  Michael 29/06/09
      97.   Simon Beckerstaff --he is a fake--real name is Paul Harris 16:37  |  Labhras 29/06/09
      98.   Herbert #666 16:39  |  Anthony 29/06/09
      99.   if nothing will be done 16:46  |  oz 29/06/09
      100.   Malone form Hfx #83 congrats 16:54  |  Roo 29/06/09
      101.   V. Hardman and airport stupidities 17:00  |  Stephen Connor 29/06/09
      102.   Michael #94 -what credibility is that? 17:00  |  Roo 29/06/09
      103.   potobac 17:01  |  Jasper 29/06/09
      104.   Natalie, ice... 17:02  |  Machsom Watcher 29/06/09
      105.   Exactly! 17:05  |  W 29/06/09
      106.   I would be humiliated as a human being 17:07  |  American 29/06/09
      107.   V. Hardman "arab terror began in 1920" 17:07  |  Stephen Connor 29/06/09
      108.   Only a kilo of Sugar? 17:08  |  *BEN JABO 29/06/09
      109.   Durson - that so-called Sugar 17:13  |  *BEN JABO 29/06/09
      110.   #48 Zero Awareness 17:17  |  *BEN JABO 29/06/09
      111.   Roo (#99) Not Starvation and not Malnutrition 17:18  |  Gil 29/06/09
      112.   Machsom Watcher Thank You 17:18  |  Chet 29/06/09
      113.   Roo (#99) Not Starvation and not Malnutrition 17:18  |  Gil 29/06/09
      114.   Roo - It only takes an olive sized piece of nitro 17:19  |  *BEN JABO 29/06/09
      115.   V. Hardman revisionist history 17:21  |  Stephen Connor 29/06/09
      116.   to AS # 40 17:23  |  JJ 29/06/09
      117.   Malone hfx needs a bigger lunch 17:24  |  Stephen Connor 29/06/09
      118.   C2 17:27  |  ABU-HALIL 29/06/09
      119.   Peter SM asked 17:28  |  Chet 29/06/09
      120.   Hardman and "Palestinian Trolls" 17:28  |  Stephen Connor 29/06/09
      121.   OH MY GOD!!! 17:31  |  Axel 29/06/09
      122.   Roo (#99) Not Starvation and not Malnutrition 17:32  |  Gil 29/06/09
      123.   Potobac wrong about Hardman 17:33  |  Stephen Connor 29/06/09
      124.   so, who is this security company ? 17:34  |  jennifer 29/06/09
      125.   Ben Jabo---ever had to carry your lunch buddy 17:40  |  Zero tolerance. 29/06/09
      126.   Only question that remains now is the judgement of history? 17:46  |  Joe 29/06/09
      127.   stephen connor and how to make it up as you go along 17:48  |  v hardman 29/06/09
      128.   *BEN JABO #114 `Olive` grenades 17:48  |  Roo 29/06/09
      129.   #123 stephen and reverse osmosis takes one side 17:51  |  v hardman 29/06/09
      130.   wow durson doesn`t give up.when will she get a real job 17:56  |  HAL TRIPP 29/06/09
      131.   MARK T and selective dyslexia.".Confiscated"? 18:06  |  PETER SM 29/06/09
      132.   Gil I heard you third time. 18:11  |  Roo 29/06/09
      133.   CHET playing dumb.Try bringing food in from out of the USA 18:12  |  PETER SM 29/06/09
      134.   v hardman 70 18:14  |  potobac 29/06/09
      135.   PETER SM....when a limit of 10 is not a limit at all! 18:14  |  Mark T 29/06/09
      136.   vhardman....mental gymnast! 18:20  |  Mark T 29/06/09
      137.   My mistake, i meant Ben Jabo, not vhardman 18:24  |  Mark T 29/06/09
      138.   Typical Example of the Disasterous Results of 18:31  |  ARTH 29/06/09
      139.   #133 potobac explans his perverted views on israel 18:31  |  v hardman 29/06/09
      140.   Falafel and Hummus 18:32  |  Joe 29/06/09
      141.   #139 V Hardman 18:42  |  Chris Linthwaite 29/06/09
      142.   axel 18:44  |  oz 29/06/09
      143.   #139 Victor paul harris hardman--civil you are not 18:53  |  Labhras 29/06/09
      144.   my name is osama 18:56  |  yes it is 29/06/09
      145.   privat company 19:04  |  oz 29/06/09
      146.   Chris 141. Vicky`s not from Belfast. 19:06  |  Michael 29/06/09
      147.   That`s right blame Israel 19:09  |  Hilda 29/06/09
      148.   let`s privatize the IDF 19:33  |  Boris 29/06/09
      149.   #147 Hilda 19:35  |  Chris Linthwaite 29/06/09
      150.   Kol hakavod, Machsom Watchers et al. 19:36  |  David 29/06/09
      151.   #16 except in this case Colin it`s a border crossing 19:51  |  Susan Dunham 29/06/09
      152.   uh Al, thats complelty wrong 19:54  |  RfaelMoshe 29/06/09
      153.   Susan Dunahm #151 "#16 except in this case Colin it`s a border cr 20:07  |  Colin Wright 29/06/09
      154.   As an agent of the GOI it,s actions are the responsibility of 20:16  |  Labhras 29/06/09
      155.   Peter SM - but not commercial quantrities 20:28  |  Don Boston 29/06/09
      156.   catering 21:03  |  patriot 29/06/09
      157.   Wow, a lot of ignorant responders. Do you approve of Kassams? 21:12  |  David 29/06/09
      158.   this is a very humane policy 21:30  |  david 29/06/09
      159.   #157 David 21:35  |  Chris Linthwaite 29/06/09
      160.   To David #157 `Do you approve of Kassams`? 21:41  |  Colin Wright 29/06/09
      161.   It is being reported that Barak has offered a 3-6 month freeze 21:54  |  Labhras 29/06/09
      162.   David, what has this to do with Qassams? 22:05  |  The Machsom Watcher 29/06/09
      163.   privat company 22:10  |  oz 29/06/09
      164.   the talkback comedians are in fine fettle 22:14  |  v hardman 29/06/09
      165.   The idiot guide to" how to achieve anti semitism" 22:27  |  maoriboy 29/06/09
      166.   Natalie #34, obviously many 22:38  |  Palestinian Prince 29/06/09
      167.   What a sick and depraved country 22:58  |  Janice 29/06/09
      168.   Israel and Jews treat Arabs better than other arabs do! this is 23:09  |  ks 29/06/09
      169.   To David 23:16  |  rm 29/06/09
      170.   Are Israeli Jews being stopped? 23:19  |  Janice 29/06/09
      171.   Hilda - who hired the private company? 23:21  |  Janice 29/06/09
      172.   Please read Ameria hass 23:36  |  Human 29/06/09
      173.   Aggravating palestinian misery - just for fun 00:10  |  ruiz 30/06/09
      174.   There is no injustice... 00:21  |  Caleb Matar 30/06/09
      175.   1 Kg of Sugar? 00:22  |  Jasper 30/06/09
      176.   Colin #153 your paranoia about "the Jews" is showing 00:36  |  Susan Dunham 30/06/09
      177.   "too much food" or violating rules? 01:06  |  Baruch Gold 30/06/09
      178.   v hardman 139 01:26  |  potobac 30/06/09
      179.   v hardman #164 01:41  |  PAUL HARRIS 30/06/09
      180.   Palestinian supporters in this forum are so ignorant! 01:44  |  MMM 30/06/09
      181.   Because of world terror, immigrating 01:49  |  from far away land 30/06/09
      182.   Hamas sowed it, the Palestinians reaped what the 01:51  |  Maria 30/06/09
      183.   Hey why don`t you consider Israel as the Military Base! 01:58  |  MMM 30/06/09
      184.   Zatar is anti-semetic 02:06  |  American Taxpayer 30/06/09
      185.   MARK T one last time.It is not Israeli policy to limit the food 03:16  |  PETER SM 30/06/09
      186.   Roo - You asked the right guy 03:33  |  *BEN JABO 30/06/09
      187.   Baruch Gold have you read propaganda from 30,s germany? 04:06  |  Jim the mechanic 30/06/09
      188.   jasper 103 04:27  |  potobac 30/06/09
      189.   MMM 05:01  |  oron 30/06/09
      190.   MMM.. not so smart 05:26  |  maoriboy 30/06/09
      191.   Karma`s a bitch 05:29  |  coolest girl alive 30/06/09
      192.   Does the security company own the food franchises 05:58  |  ufdah 30/06/09
      193.   Stop the shameful treatment of Palestians 06:02  |  Charlene S 30/06/09
      194.   Shameless 06:22  |  Truth 30/06/09
      195.   Checkpoints 07:07  |  Oetis 30/06/09
      196.   Amira- Bring light to the innocents suffering in Abbas`s dunjeons 08:05  |  Omar 30/06/09
      197.   Don Boston (#155) 11:09  |  Gil 30/06/09
      198.   *BEN JABO #185 I knew you would deliver 11:11  |  Roo 30/06/09
      199.   Confirmation 12:37  |  A Voice of Moderatio 30/06/09
      200.   # 198 geez Roo thanks for the laugh 13:18  |  maoriboy 30/06/09
      201.   v hardman 164 13:21  |  potobac 30/06/09
      202.   What a collection of apologists! 15:57  |  Murray 30/06/09
      203.   THE WORLD STANDS WITH PALESTINE 16:35  |  Eric 30/06/09
      204.   Roo (#198) Not that I approve of all of this but 17:33  |  Gil 30/06/09
      205.   #193 Charlene S - Chicago 18:40  |  *BEN JABO 30/06/09
      206.   aparthiedisrael 19:16  |  ata khan 01/07/09
      207.   #202 Murray - Italy - Couldn`t keep quiet 02:30  |  *BENJABO 02/07/09
      208.   #203 Eric - First Iran, then Palestine 19:25  |  *BEN JABO 04/07/09
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