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Beit Furik, Hamra (Beqaot), Huwwara, Ma’ale Efrayim, Salfit Checkpoint, Tayasir, Za’tara (Tapuah), Sat 30.6.12, Morning

Observers: Natalie C., Ruthie R. (reporting
Jun-30-2012
| Morning

 Translator:  Charles K.

 

10:15  Salfit checkpoint

Something new:  Of the two yellow iron bars at the checkpoint, the inner one (nearer Salfit) is raised and always open.

One soldier at the civilian position at the entrance to Ariel, opening and closing one of the bars from a distance.

Taxis arriving cross immediately, the soldier remains at the gate, opens and closes it by pressing a button.

 

At the exit from Ariel toward Tapuach the police are again stopping cars for inspection.  A yellow taxi is detained.

 

10:30  Za’tara/Tapuach junction

We saw no police or army on the road.  A Border Police soldier in the guard tower.

 

10:45  Ma’aleh Efrayim checkpoint

No soldiers on the road.

An army jeep below the tower; soldiers are apparently in the tower (we didn’t see them).

 

Many flocks of sheep in the dry fields along the road.  We distributed clothing and shoes we’d brought with us.

 

11:20  Hamra/Beqa’ot checkpoint

Something new here also:  tall, thick green poles have been erected at the checkpoint, apparently for shade canopies. 

We saw five soldiers at the checkpoint.

A car that arrived from the west (Area A) at the same time as we did enters the checkpoint, goes through quickly and waits for the passengers who got out for inspection in the building.

From the east – there was no one there when we arrived; three cars came and a minute later were waved through without inspection.

 

11:25  A commercial vehicle arrived from the west; again, passengers get out, the vehicle waits for them, three minutes later they leave.

Sparse traffic. It is very hot down here at the Jordan valley.

 

11:40  We drove on.

 

12:05  Tayasir checkpoint

Two soldiers at the checkpoint, a large sign reading “Lavie Rifle Company.”

When we arrived we saw a car to the west waiting for its passengers, three men, who emerged two minutes later.

A taxi coming from Tubas is quickly inspected and waits for its passengers, two women, two children and three men who emerged five minutes later.

No traffic from the east.

 

12:20  We left.

 

12:40  Hamra/Beqaot checkpoint.  Light traffic

Two cars from the west.  The cars and the passengers are checked separately, quickly.

From the east – empty.  When two cars arrived the soldiers waved them through without inspection.

People go through the checkpoint quickly.

 

13:30  Za’tara/Tapuach– no soldiers, normal traffic.

 

14:00  Huwwara checkpoint– no soldiers, heavy traffic.

 

14:10  Beit Furik checkpoint– open, no soldiers.

 

 

  • Beit Furik checkpoint

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    • One of the three internal checkpoints that closed on the city of Nablus - Beit Furik to the east, Hawara to the south, Beit Iba to the west. The checkpoint is located at the junction of Roads 557 (an apartheid road that was forbidden for Palestinians), leading to the Itamar and Alon Morea settlements and Road 5487. The checkpoint was established in 2001 for pedestrians and vehicles; The opening hours were short and the transition was slow and very problematic.
      Allegedly, the checkpoint is intended to monitor the movement to and from Nablus of the residents of Beit Furik and Beit Dajan, being the only opening outside their villages. Since May 2009 the checkpoint is open 24 hours a day, the military presence is limited, vehicles can pass through it without inspections, except for random inspections. (Updated April 2010)
  • Hamra (Beqaot)

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    •  

      One of the Jordan Rift Valley checkpoints that prevent direct transit between the West Bank and the Jordan Valley, in addition to Tayasir Checkpoint. Located next to Hamra settlement, on Route 57 and the Allon Road.

      Read about the peple of the Jordan Valley and the quiet transfer happening there.

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      Shahar Shiloah
      Nov-3-2021
      Ein Shibli: grazing begins close to home
  • 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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  • Ma'ale Efrayim

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    • Ma'ale Efrayim On the road connecting Route 90 (the Jordan Valley road) to the Allon Road.
  • Salfit CP

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    • Salfit CP Approximately 15,000 residents live in the village of Salfit in Area A. The periphery villages associated with Salfit governorate (18 in number) have 75,000 residents. Around them live 60,000 settlers in 24 settlements (In the past there were violent demonstrations in the village against construction of the separation barrier). To the village big agricultural area between Salfit and Ariel, farmers can enter only in coordination with the Israeli DCO / DCL / DCL / DCL, once a year for picking and plowing, through three seasonal checkpoints: 4008, 4012, 4017. Ariel's wastewater flows towards the springs of Salfit and the operation of the purification plant built by a German company is delayed so far.
  • Tayasir CP

    See all reports for this place
    • Located on road 5799, It is one of the checkpoints control the passage between the northern West Bank and the Jordan Valley. For a long time, it stood empty and open, with only a sign next to it warning against entering Area A. It was adjacent to an old military camp - now everything is neglected. How much money was invested here, and how much brainwashing was done to the soldiers of Netzah Yehuda and Kfir.

       

      Today, it is very difficult to pass there. Many delays. Often, teachers from Tubas are not allowed to pass into the Valley to villages like Ein al-Bida where the local schools are located, and there are no classes. There are additional days when the checkpoint is closed. In general, there is a wait there of about two to four hours to go towards the Valley and also to return. Many times the Palestinians are forced to use the Hamra checkpoint, which also leads into Tubas and the West Bank, but there is also a huge queue there and a long wait.

       

      Following a deadly attack on soldiers at the nearby base in February 2025, the checkpoint was completely closed for the time being. (Updated March 2025)

  • 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.  
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      Shoshi Anbar
      Sep-27-2023
      Za'atra (Tapuah Intersection). Signs
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