Huwwara 11 July 2006 Watchers: Aharona M., Ninette B., Dina A. (reporting), Dalit (guest)It is a nice day, the weather in the morning is wonderful and the impossible routine continues, at the roadblocks all the way to Huwwara where there are few residents crossing.Za’atra Junction (Tapuach)7:45 a.m. There are three cars from the direction of Road No. 5 and from the direction of Nablus there are ten cars, the crossing is quick.There is a roadblock at the entrance to Huwwara.7:50 a.m.To all intents and purposes a regular roadblock with thirty cars, in fact it is the busiest roadblock we see during our shift.7:55 a.m.Relatively few people entering Nablus compared to previous days, although during the day the traffic builds up, as does the crowding at the new entrance turnstile, just to make things a bit more difficult.At the exit from Nablus there are two cars waiting, a very unusual situation.There are some twenty residents on their way from Nablus who wait to be checked.8:00 a.m.There are four cars at the exit from Nablus, it takes the fourth car ten minutes to cross.A woman with a child in her arms and another one by her side tells us that she had a wait of five minutes. She waits for her husband who arrives five minutes later.Whenever the queue builds up a humanitarian queue for women and the elderly is opened and they cross with no hold ups.During the whole of our shift there is one detainee who is released within ten minutes.We are told that men between the ages of 15 – 30 are not allowed to cross today.8:20 a.m.The queue to leave Nablus increases and a policeman from the Palestinian Police Force crosses, angry and offended at the inspection he has just been through: raising his shirt and rolling up his trousers.There is not one vehicle at the exit from Nablus and a never-ending stream of cars entering but as they arrive one at a time no pressure is created.A car bearing a television sign is not permitted to enter Nablus, it has no entry permit.The elderly and disabled cross via the road and the soldiers check their documents separately from the queue.At the entrance to Nablus the stream of those entering rises, many female students, some of whom are memorising notes, apparently on their way to an examination.8:30 a.m.Another woman waits for her husband on the other side of the roadblock; according to her they arrived at the roadblock at 8:00 a.m.A Jordanian taxi carrying Jordanian citizens arrives at the car roadblock; the soldier on duty does not know what to do and consults with G., the commander, who consults with Anwar the DCO representative. They decide it is a matter for their own discretion and the commander permits them to go into Nablus.8:45 a.m.About 30 people are waiting to cross, many of them mothers with children. The mothers cross quickly via the humanitarian queue and wait for their husbands who are checked thoroughly. A military policewoman is very rude, we draw the commander’s attention to her and he promises to talk to her.There are about four vehicles at the exit from Nablus.The x-ray machine is in place and the luggage of those leaving is put through it.Two people with no permit are on their way back to Nablus; youngsters who try to cross and are checked and sent back.9:00 a.m.The queue of cars has grown, we note the fourth car in the queue, it takes 20 minutes for it to get on its way to the next roadblock which is very close, at Huwwara Junction.The roadblock is run very smoothly, G., the roadblock commander, works efficiently and he tells us that 18 months ago he was stationed at the roadblock as a soldier and then the situation was really difficult.>br>He appears wherever necessary and solves problems. DCO representatives were also present and were very cooperative.A new female soldier is at the roadblock and an experienced female soldier asks us to explain to her who we are and what we do.9:30 a.m.There are five cars at the exit from Nablus and about 20 waiting at the next roadblock.Beit Furiq9:50 a.m. There is no one at the roadblock; one car waits to be called over for inspection so that it can enter Nablus.A number of mothers and children trudge in the direction of the roadblock.Awarta10:10 a.m.There are three cars at the entrance and three at the exit. One car is unloading from a Nablus car to one which will go to Israel, another car unloads a taxi which has come from Israel.The people there report that cars face a wait of about five minutes, a day with very light traffic due, they say, to the very tough economic situation.10:10 a.m.We return to the roadblock at Huwwara, now there are about 100 people waiting but women, children and the elderly are immediately taken out of the queue. A doctor who wants to cross but has no permit talks to the soldiers; the commander intervenes and allows him to leave Nablus.10:30 a.m.We leave and on the way back see a similar picture at the entrance to Huwwara, a convoy of some thirty cars.At Tapuach Junction there is something which we have never seen before, the junction is completely empty: not one car from the direction of Nablus or on Road No.5.