AM
Huwwara 19/2/2004 Watchers: Dalia, Sheli, Tamar & Nura (reporting) We got to the checkpoint at about 11 a.m. Terrible weather: rain, strong wind and very cold. Dalia and Sheli are moving to the southern checkpoint. Dalia is about to meet there a Palestinian musician and music teacher whom she met last time to get from him a disk with an Arab song for her daughter’s girls choir (he does come and bring the disk with a tray of sweets).Especially in this weather, it is very hard to watch women with babies and young kids or old people, that must walk their way from checkpoint on one side to checkpoint on the other side, where they might get a cab (if they have some money) to go to their destination, or to the next checkpoint (walk, cross, if allowed, and take another cab).The soldiers let people cross the checkpoint relatively fast, checking their papers and detaining those who are not allowed (age 15-35, who must have a special permission). When we arrived there was already a group of detainees telling us that they are waiting over an hour (in the freezing cold). There is a reserve soldier, Arabic speaking, that told us he is there to try and help solve humanitarian cases, and he is relatively lenient, but he is apologetic when trying to explain his doings to the rough sergeant who is complaining: “Why do you let the sick and the old move on… they all lie, pretend” etc. This one is also shouting at the detainees to move further away because he does not like where they are standing. I am trying to talk to him to no avail (“You do not understand security considerations…”). But our pleading and nagging helps at last, and the soldiers get permission (through the phone) to return the ID cards and let those youngsters cross (after waiting about 3 hours).At about 2 p.m. Dalia returns from her side telling us that Sheli did not obey a cop who would let her stand near (or talk) Palestinian prisoners who where left out in the open (rain and cold). She was taken to police station in Ariel, so we went after her and had to wait for more than 3 hours for her release (the inquiry will continue on Sunday). Waiting there, we had a chance of a long and interesting conversation/political discussion with some police officers, but this is already another story.
Huwwara
See all reports for this place-
The Huwwara checkpoint is an internal checkpoint south of the city of Nablus, at the intersection of Roads 60 and 5077 (between the settlements of Bracha and Itamar). This checkpoint was one of the four permanent checkpoints that closed on Nablus (Beit Furik and Awarta checkpoints to the east and the Beit Iba checkpoint to the west). It was a pedestrian-only barrier. As MachsomWatch volunteers, we watched therre since 2001 two shifts a day - morning and noon, the thousands of Palestinians leaving Nablus and waiting for hours in queues to reach anywhere else in the West Bank, from the other side of the checkpoint the destination could only be reached by public transport. In early June 2009, as part of the easing of Palestinian traffic in the West Bank, the checkpoint was opened to vehicular traffic. The passage was free, with occasional military presence in the guard tower. Also, there were vehicle inspections from time to time. Since the massacre on 7.10.2023, the checkpoint has been closed to Palestinians.
On February 26, 2023, about 400 settlers attacked the town's residents for 5 hours and set fire to property, such as houses and cars. Disturbances occurred in response to a shooting of two Jewish residents of Har Bracha by a Palestinian Terrorist. The soldiers stationed in the town did not prevent the arson and rescued Palestinian families from their homes only after they were set on fire. No one was punished and Finance Minister Smotrich stated that "the State of Israel should wipe out Hawara." Left and center organizations organized solidarity demonstrations and support actions for the residents of Hawara.Hawara continued to be in the headlines in all the months that followed: more pogroms by the settlers, attacks by Palestinians and a massive presence of the army in the town. It amounted to a de facto curfew of commerce and life in the center of the city. On October 5, 2023, MK Zvi established a Sukkah in the center of Hawara and hundreds of settlers backed the army blocked the main road and held prayers in the heart of the town all night and the next day. On Saturday, October 7, 23 The "Swords of Iron" war began with an attack by Hamas on settlements surrounding Gaza in the face of a poor presence of the IDF. Much criticism has been made of the withdrawal of military forces from the area surrounding Gaza and their placement in the West Bank, and in the Hawara and Samaria region in particular, as a shield for the settlers who were taking over and rioting.
On November 12, 2023, the first section of the Hawara bypass road intended for Israeli traffic only was opened. In this way, the settlers can bypass the road that goes through the center of Hawara, which is the main artery for traffic from the Nablus area to Ramallah and the south of the West Bank. For the construction of the road, the Civil Administration expropriated 406 dunams of private land belonging to Palestinians from the nearby villages. The settlers are not satisfied with this at the moment, and demand to also travel through Hawara itself in order to demonstrate presence and control.(updated November 2023)
.
Shoshi AnbarMay-18-2025Huwara: The old houses in Area C
-
