Za’atara Huwwara Beit Furik, Monday 2.7.2007 PMObservers: Macky S. Merav A. Sara M. Nur B. (reporting)Natanya translating.12.50 – A civilian police checkpoint at the exit from Israel opposite the Shomron gate and it was still there on our way back. Under the iron branch leading to the fields of the residents of Marda a ditch has been dug which prevents vehicles from entering the fields.13.15 Za’atara (Tapuach). About 8 cars. On the road to Tapuach we see a Hummer with soldiers and a Palestinian. We did not get out of the car and at once a soldier came towards us. He was very polite. Get away from here. We got out saying we were allowed to be on the road. His reply was “You are sure that you wanted to stand here on the road?” A settler passed and asks the soldiers if we are bothering them and starts to shout at us red in the face. We heard the soldiers asking the young man in which unit he served??? After a while the young man got his id and left. The soldiers demanded that we wait until the police came but they had to be satisfied with the number of our car. 13.45 -and also at 16.10 Burin (Yitzhar) was not manned.Now the absurdity. Rabbi Arik Asherman of the Rabbis for Human Rights had asked us to be in touch with a shepherd who wanted to graze his sheep near the apartheid road. We drove to the dust road where the rabbi had directed us in the direction of Alon Moreh behind a hill of olive trees where we met two volunteers from the Rabbis for Human rights. They had come all the way from Rechovot so as to give passage to goats and sheep on the road (see the report Beit Furik 30.6)14.05 Beit Furik. 6 cars waiting at the exit and cars entering in the usual abusive way as one cannot see where the line ends. The driver of the first car gets out, stands at the crossroads ( which is an apartheid road but Palestinians have a special permit to cross this area from the village to the checkpoint and back) and looks towards the checkpoint. Few pedestrians. 2 women are sent back with shouts as their bags have not been checked.The commander tells us to go back t the line of the turnstiles and stops the movement at the checkpoint. We went back but that was not enough and wanted us to go to the end of the checkpoint. In the meantime he and his soldiers allow neither pedestrians nor cars through. We complained to the humanitarian centre and also to the operational room of the brigade. A. said she would check and asked us to get back to her. This entire time people were standing quietly behind the turnstiles. When we got back to A. she said the soldiers had claimed that they had not stopped the movement which was an outright lie. She said it was a problem as we said one thing and the soldiers another. A. said maybe she should ask the Palestinians and her answer was “How are they connected to this?”14.45 Huwwara. The lines are very long past the shed. 3 checking areas for men and no undressing, only the belts taken off. The humanitarian line is working and cars enter Nablus quickly with ids checked. Those leaving stop a way off from the checkpoint and the passengers go through the pedestrian area. The car is checked, parcels through the x-ray, ids and then they are allowed on their way.Three settlers arrive and stand next to the car lane leaving Nablus on the other side of the white line where we are not allowed to stand and chat to the soldiers. When we arrive a civilian police jeep is at the humanitarian area and next to them a man and a woman probably Israeli Arabs. After a few minutes the jeep left and they went on their way. Since the soldiers have been detaining people in the jorra and the shaded isolation area is empty we have got used to seeing men and women there sometimes praying. But today the soldiers do not allow them to enjoy the shade even though today the sun is very strong. A. the commander says that their presence is a danger to the soldiers. Men come and sit in the shade and the commander chases them away and we complain to Y. at the centre. 16.30 Za’atara (Tapuach) 12 cars in various directions and those going towards Nablus are checked.