'Awarta, 'Azzun 'Atma, Beit Furik, Huwwara, Za'tara (Tapuah), Tue 24.11.09, Afternoon

Date: 24/11/2009 ,Afternoon

Observers: Hagar Z., Didika Y.

Beit Furik

east of Nablus at junction of Route 557 (apartheid road forbidden to Palestinians, leading to Itamar and Elon Moreh), and Route 5487. Checkpoint has operated since 2001, seemingly serving residents of Beit Furik and Beit Dajan. In practice it only serves the residents of the settlements. One of the three permanent checkpoints that close off Nablus, together with Huwwara and Beit Iba.

Close description

Natanya translating.

General:
A very cold and rainy day and that may be the reason for little movement on the roads and at the checkpoint.

Azzun Atma. 14.40
The checkpoint is quite. A few people exit and enter after having IDs checked. We wanted to go in but the woman soldier said that this was forbidden. Because of the rain we gave in. An army jeep came out of the gate and the soldier with the rank of captain got out and told us that we could not stand next to the checkpoint and that we had to wait further back and to the side. Seeing we were in any case leaving we did not argue and left.

Checkpoint of Tapuach/Za'tara. 15.30 The crossroads were completely empty.

Huwwara. 15.40 .
There were about 20 cars, private and vans, at the checkpoint. Most went through immediately and only a few were stopped randomly it seemed to be checked. At the side of the post a police car with two policemen checked the IDs of those that where stopped. We saw a private black car stopped and the driver taken for checking. He returned with a fine of 250 shekel because his mother was in the car and this was forbidden. He said to us. "Do They want her to go oby foot?"
There were also some children in the car. It may be that there were more people in the car than should have been, we could not count. The windows were dark and shadowed. We asked the police why there had been a fine and they refused to answer. The driver said that the previous day he had passed with the same number and no one had stopped him…..a question of luck.

Checkpoint Awarta. 16.10 The checkpoint was completely empty. We left immediately.

Beit Furik. 16.15 . The checkpoint was very quiet and cars passed freely with none being stopped. We saw two bored soldiers in the sentry tower.