‘Awarta, Huwwara, Za’tara (Tapuah), Wed 3.6.09, Morning
Translator: Charles K.
7:45 Za'tara-Tapuach
From the west – 3 vehicles; pretty crowded from the north (at least 20 vehicles) when we arrived, but they go through quickly in two lanes, and documents are barely inspected. Since we parked outside the parking lot we aroused the suspicions of one of the soldiers stationed there, and he came over to find out who we were. To our surprise, he said it was the first time he saw one of our shifts here. A settler came over at the same time, sniffed around our car and ran to tell the soldiers. Since he didn't get the response he wanted, he started making calls. We left as we had planned, so nothing more developed, but maybe that was evidence of increasing tension in the area.
There were now 12 cars on line.
8:10 Huwwara
The parking lot is half empty. The coffee-seller told us that most of the drivers now work out of Nablus, because it's easier for them to get passengers there, and the wait to be inspected at the checkpoint is now shorter. Usually only ID's are check. A taxi driver told us the same thing, adding: "Early in the morning it's a little more crowded."
10-15 people at the pedestrian checkpoint. Only one inspection lane is open.
The x-ray machine is now operating near the checkpoint. Drivers in the entry lane come closer and move back, as usual, depending on how alert the soldiers are. It takes 15 minutes on average to go through the checkpoint.
Two young men (as it happened, those we selected in order to time how long it takes to go through) who noticed me standing and making notes came over when they exited the checkpoint to find out who I was and what organization I belonged to. It turned out that one of them was a Palestinian with US citizenship who ran a real estate business in Nablus and other places, and his friend was a music teacher from France working in Nablus; he's going home in two weeks. I gave them an explanation and the URL of the web site. At the end of the conversation the businessman volunteered his insight: "It's not the soldiers' fault, they're children, young – the regime is to blame!"
We tried to get information on the stabbing which occurred Tuesday, but didn't learn more that what was already known.
We should emphasize: We weren't moved away from the checkpoint area, and we even contacted N. from the DCO while coming near the inspection booths.
The vehicle area: Sparse traffic and a pretty superficial inspection.
9:15 Huwwara DCO.
There's a new awning where it's comfortable to wait. We met a number of people – each one with a story. We took some initial steps to help:
1) A father of a boy born with one hand shorter than the other, seeking treatment in Israel, but so far has been refused.
2) A young woman applying to emigrate and has to come to the embassy, but since the date and time aren't specified, but only the days the embassy is open, she's met a blank wall. After a phone call to Z. it was agreed that a relative would come with the young woman and he'll try to help.
3) A man from the village of Luban, whose brother yesterday was given a demolition order on a building was instructed by us who to speak with in order to received legal assistance. (By the way – he said that the land on which the DCO is built is registered in documents to his grandfather, and over the years other parts of their land have been plundered.)
In sum, it's worthwhile, and also desirable, to stop by the DCO from time to time, and to try again to get authorization to observe in the waiting room inside.
10:15 Awarta. Light traffic.
Opposite Beita – a Border Police jeep inspects vehicles randomly.
Za'tara-Tapuach – 5 vehicles on line, but go through quickly.
'Awarta
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Awarta, an internal checkpoint in the heart of the West Bank, is located east of the Hawara checkpoint, at the junction of Roads 555 (which was forbidden for Palestinian traffic in this area) and the entrance road to Nablus. It was one of the four checkpoints that surrounded Nablus until 2009. We used to watch it at Huwwara shifts because it was the only one where goods could be transferred to and from Nablus, using the back-to-back method. It was operated by the army, from 06:00 to 20:00. Until 2009.
Ronit Dahan-RamatiJan-6-2026Awarta: Traffic jam on the way to Nablus
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Huwwara
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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)
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Shoshi AnbarMay-18-2025Huwara: The old houses in Area C
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Za'tara (Tapuah)
See all reports for this place-
Za'tara (Tapuah) Za'tara is an internal checkpoint in the heart of the West Bank, at the intersection of Road 60 and Road 505 (Trans-Samaria), east of the Tapuah settlement. This checkpoint is the "border" marked by the IDF between the north and south of the West Bank, in accordance with the policy of separation between the two parts of the West Bank that has been in place since December 2005. At the Za'tara checkpoint, there are separate routes for Israelis and Palestinians. In the route for Israelis, there are no inspections and the route for Palestinians inspects. The queue lengthens and shortens suits. The checkpoint is open 24 hours a day. The checkpoint is partially staffed and the people who pass through it are checked at random.
Shoshi AnbarSep-27-2023Za'atra (Tapuah Intersection). Signs
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