Huwwara, Saturday 3.6.06, AMObserves: Vivi Z., Amalia V. and Hana B. (reporting)Translation: Ruth F.It says “Go see the land”, at the book of Joshua. This is a kind of advice that I wouldn’t give a Palestinian who wishes to wonder in side the west bank. On our way today from Jerusalem to Huwwara we past through these cps: Hizme, Ofra, (10 kilometers away from Ofra), Atara, Ma’ale Levona, Tapuah and Yizhar, finally we reached Huwwara. That makes 7 checkpoints on 65 kilometers !! these are only the cps on road number 60, and we hadn’t yet past through the cp on the roads from Kalkilia, Tul Karem, Jenin, and all the villages in between. The average time this journey takes, a journey that shouldn’t be more then 20-30 minutes, is today 5 to 6 hours. The Palestinian source on income has been destroyed, their economy is collapsing and the suffering and hatred are intensified every day.CP Ofra – is a cp they have put up during the last month. Almost every day a terrorist “appears” on his way to Jerusalem, and the road is blocked for hours. On our way to Huwwara at 7:15, we saw about 100 cars standing in three lines, causing a traffic jam, preventing the passage even for the “privileged” cars, those with a yellow plate. When we came back at noon, the line had grown and there were about 100 more cars standing there. We think that some of the cars we saw in the morning were still there when we came back. We called the IDF Humanitarian Centre and the Brigade, and were told about the terrorist “of the day” and also that the inspection were strict. But several minutes afterwards the cp was opened and the traffic started to move. I wonder what all those Palestinians, who were waiting in the scorching heat, must have thought. On our way to Jerusalem we saw a Palestinian handcuffed- we were told that he attacked a soldier- a very old excuse, but if he had indeed attacked a soldier I wouldn’t be surprised, considering these conditions.Atara- a road block in the entrance to Atara from road number 60. The soldiers said that workers of the Palestinian authorities were having a demonstration at Bir Zait, they were protesting because they haven’t received their pay checks. In the morning there weren’t many cars, but when we were on our way to Jerusalem we saw a line spreading from the entrance to road number 466, and it wasn’t moving. They wouldn’t allow us to pass, so we couldn’t confirm the information we were given. Za’atarz- There was a line of about 10 to 15 cars for west to east, and another line with 51 cars, from the north. On our way back to Jerusalem we stop to talk with those passing. All of them were very upset, they had already passed trough several cps. The inspection was slow. The ride from Za’atara to Rammala costs 15 Shekels. We learned that the cab drivers are trying to find alternative ways, some of them aren’t paved, in order to by pass the cps on road number 60. Ma’ale Levona- On our way south we encountered a jeep and a Hammer, that were preparing a cp. yizhar- The cp has been moved, it now stands from the west to the east (instead of standing from the north to the south). There were about 2-3 cars there.The market at Baita- still stands at the same place, but there are no counters. Everything is sold start from the mini market. There was plenty of merchandise and traffic.Huwwara- many pedestrians were making their way to Nablus. Without an inspection. At the exit from Nablus- was a very strict inspection which included taking off pants. Of course they take out everything from all the bags. An average inspection took about 15 minutes. Young boys and girls, between the ages of 18-25 weren’t allowed to pass. Residents of Jenin and Tul Karem weren’t allowed to pass. Nablus is at a siege, and the soldiers said that Tul Karem is also at seige. It seems that they have stopped the separation- but you can find a cp every where and in practice there is no freedom of movement. The name had been changed, but the situation is that same. One soldier had been rood towards a Palestinian, but a part for that very thing “was going calmly”. A woman in labor, who had help from her husband and another man, managed to pass and reach a cab to Nablus. We recalled the way we had to make when we were in labor with our children and were now horrified. A driver from a company called “Tamimi” approached us. He and two more busses were on their way to Aric bridge, traveling to Meka. All the passengers on the busses were young and so were allowed to pass. The DCO was closed due to the holiday, and we couldn’t arrange a permit for them to pass. We suppose that the managers of Tmimi know the procedures and couldn’t understand why this complication was caused. After rethinking the situation, the drivers decided to try passing at Beit Iba.A conversation with a resident of Nablus- We met someone we know who lives at Nablus and works at Rammala. He told us that each night soldiers come into houses, looking for suspects, the usually do this in the middle of the night- but not only. There is not much of a “night life’, and he said that their lives are in ruins. Busses- There were no busses or cabs heading out from Huwwara to the south. We hardly saw any busses on the roads as well. A Hammer was standing, and every couple of minutes it went out, driving recklessly towards Nablus, in order to drive away all the drivers who passed the virtual line.Git Junction- We saw 13 cars standing at a line from the east, and a line of about 25 cars from Beit Iba.The cp has become permanent and they will probably start building in the area a glories terminal!Conclusions: Although there is great importance to the way the soldiers behave, the suffering of those who have to go through that hell on the roads, bears a greater impact. The holiday at the west bank has begun- of course they don’t have any summer schools or any other programs to occupy the children. We all know what happens in the summer with bored children! The first stone that will be thrown by a child will lead to disasters consequences. Another year has passed and the occupation is still thriving.