Beit Furik, Huwwara, Za'tara (Tapuah), Mon 14.7.08, Afternoon
Natanya translating.
An usual day of occupation with no special events.
12.40 Sha'ar Shomron. We entered Palestine.
At Za'tara (Tapuach)
A truck waits and next to it a detained taxi with the driver, 3 men and two women. One of the young men does not have an identity card.
12 cars from the direction of Nablus.
13.25 Beit Furik.
Checking of pedestrians and cars not done in both directions at the same time and each time a short line is formed where there is no checking. IDs are checked, the baggage compartment. The face of the commander, G. is painted green so as to show operational activity as he says. We have an argument with him and two other soldiers as to our right to stand and see what is happening.
13.50 Huwwara.
A young man is in the isolation speaking on the phone. A soldier stands next to him the whole time. His mother and another women, maybe an aunt, come up to us as soon as we arrive. They stand so that they have eye contact with the young man the entire time (picture included). We speak to T., the representative of the DCO who did not know that there was anyone detained. We learn that he is "bingo" and at the moment is being checked by the secret services on the phone (this is the first time we have seen an enquiry over the phone.
At 16.00 we are told by G. of the army centre that he "understood that he had been freed."
Three checking areas for the men and a humanitarian line. The line which reaches beyond the turnstiles is very long and it seems that the shed is full. Some people are sent to have baggage x-rayed. The young men show their IDs and go under the metal detector and put their belts on outside. Men say that they wait about an hour.
After 15.00 the line shortens and people wait about 20 minutes.
Cars at the entrance to Nablus have IDs and permits checked and the passage is swift. few cars and sometimes none at all.
At the exit from Nablus, cars are checked in the usual manner...passengers alight and go with their baggage to the x-ray machine and after all has been checked go on their way. This takes about 3-4 minutes a car but does not include the time they wait in line.
15.40 Za'tara. 15 cars in the direction of Ramallah.