Hamra (Beqaot), Huwwara, Ma’ale Efrayim, Salfit Checkpoint, Tayasir, Za’tara (Tapuah), Sat 4.2.12, Morning
Translation: Suzanne O.
Salfit checkpoint
At the entrance to Ariel
9:50 a.m. ,This checkpoint, which started with 2 soldiers and one small concrete block, is now a real obstacle: two iron barriers, in the middle – between them – a booth, a lot of concrete blocks and heaped up sandbags.
A big yellow taxi arrived and crossed with no inspection, just with a nod of the head, the documents of the driver and passengers of a similar taxi leaving were also not inspected.
At the entrance on the right there is a new sign "Entrance is solely with a permit from the Security Department of Ariel", and on the left is the familiar red sign "Entrance to Area A", etc.
Za'tara/Tapuach Junction
10:15 a.m. There is a Border Police jeep and four border police in the car park.
There is a police jeep on the right of the road – the police stop many cars for inspection, they allow us to pass.
Ma'aleh Ephraim CP
10:40 a.m. There are no soldiers on the road; apparently there are some in the lookout tower.
At the right hand turn from Hamra we stopped at the Beit Dejan village grocery shop, the village is not connected to the electricity grid, we bought a few things and sat and had coffee with them.
Hamra CP
11:30 a.m. We arrived as they changed shifts. There was a Hummer jeep plus a military lorry and about 20 soldiers.
Very slowly 8 cars started to queue from the eastern side. We were unable to see how many were queuing from the western side of the roadblock.
11:45 a.m. The checkpoint opened. From east to west there was no inspection, nine cars crossed within a minute.
From the west – there are two inspection lanes! This is new! Up to today we have only seen one lane.
Very many leave one after the other after the inspection at the pedestrian crossing.
The taxis which had brought them that get here from Area A, are thoroughly inspected – doors, boot, driver's documents.
Now there are about 30 people in the queue – men, women, children and babies.
12:00 p.m. Most of the pedestrians have left.
It seems that today the inspections of cars are extremely tough.
A new spectacle: in the middle of the roadblock, in the west to east lane, a white lorry is parked. We asked the Palestinians about it: according to them it has been there for two weeks and is used for inspecting bags. There is no equipment of any kind in the lorry but 2 soldiers inspect bags manually (not always). This means they empty the bag and inspect the contents.
Tayasir CP
12:45 p.m. There are two soldiers, no traffic.
1.00 p.m. A taxi with six passengers arrives from Area A. The passengers are allowed across quickly, but the vehicle is inspected slowly.
A lorry arrives from the east– they signal it to stop and the driver shows his documents and opens the lorry cover for inspection.
The driver's documents are inspected at the terminal in the booth, after 3 minutes they are returned and he drives on.
Only then do they wave in an additional car which has been waiting on the western side.
In other words – the roadblock is one way today.
Compared to other days, it takes a long time for each car to be inspected (3 – 5 minutes).
1:20 p.m. We left.
Hamra CP
1:40 p.m. Once again there is a long pedestrian queue.
There are a lot of cars from the west.
Ma'aleh Ephraim CP
2:00 p.m. Empty.
Huwwara CP
2:30 p.m. A jeep with a number of soldiers (4?) is parked at the entrance to Nablus. They do not hold anyone up but they oversee the traffic.
At the exit from Nablus – there are no soldiers.
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.
Shahar ShiloahNov-3-2021Ein Shibli: grazing begins close to home
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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)
.Shoshi AnbarMay-18-2025Huwara: The old houses in Area C
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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.
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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.
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Tayasir CP
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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)
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Za'tara (Tapuah)
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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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