Hawwara, Sunday 5 June 2005 AMObservers: Yael B., Edna L., Ditsa I. (reporting)No special events to report at the checkpoint itself. Most of our activity was at the DCO office, in a meeting with Ra’ad.On the way we passed a line of 6 vehicles at Tapuach junction.There was no checkpoint at the entrance to Itzhar.7H50Before we arrived at the Hawwara checkpoint we were stopped by a Palestinian man from Beit Furiq, who works in Israel. The man asked our help with the matter of his 4.5-year old son, who was with him. The child had Meningitis 6 months ago, and since then he is deaf and has become violent. An examination at the Schneider hospital concluded that the boy requires additional treatment and a medical device, costing a total of about $28,000. Yael has contacted the hospital and has found out that the Palestinian Authority – having a financial agreement with the Israeli medical fund – will foot part of the bill. Both the Schneider hospital and the father’s employer, an Jewish Israeli man who owns a construction equipment factory, will cover some of the expenses. Yael has also contacted the Peres Center for Peace to ask for their sponsorship, and has found out that they only sponsor treatments by either Ichilov hospital in Tel Aviv or Hadassa hospital in Jerusalem. It might therefore be better for the child to be admitted to one of those two hospitals. Yael will keep in touch with the father and the other parties involved to track progress and help if possible.8H10Hawwara checkpoint: a small number of people at the carousels; quiet; no detainees.9H00Hawwara DCO: a meeting with Ra’ad. Last week we saw 200 people waiting outside of the DCO. This time, there were only 30. Ra’ad told us that the DCO receives 120 people on average each day. 100 people are hosted within the DCO building, 60 in the reception area and 40 in the entrance hall. The building is usually air-conditioned (there was a power failure when we were there.) Screening is computerized, requiring up to 15 minutes, following which the applicants receive magnetic cards. The application for such a card includes a fee of 85 NIS, payable upfront, which is refunded to the applicant if refused. People whose application is refused, and whose movement is therefore restricted, are unable to re-submit their request to the DCO. They may appeal to the General Security Services, where about 80% of the appeals will actually be considered. Sometimes the restrictions are temporary, and in some other cases they can be lifted through the intervention of lawyers. Ra’ad emphasized that in humanitarian cases, even those restricted by the General Security Service are allowed into Israel.In response to our question about the people forced to wait outside of the building, Ra’ad claimed that the DCO tries to stop them from waiting outside to no avail by telling them to go back home and try again 3-4 hours later. Typically, those people stay put and remain there even after the quota of 120 applicants per day is exhausted, in the (sometimes justified) hope that they might still be allowed to enter. After we discussed it during our meeting, Ra’ad said he will ensure that a sign is displayed outside when the quota for the day is done. He also said he’ll create two lines outside – a regular line for the magnetic cards and another one for special cases that are urgent, are not supposed to wait and are not restricted by the quota.As for water, shaded waiting areas and latrines outside of the building, Ra’ad believes it will not help as it will encourage more people to stay (even though they will not be processed on the same day.) Nevertheless, he agreed to consider arranging for running water for those outside the building. Last week we left the DCO with the very hard feeling that even here people are only trying to make things difficult for the Palestinians. This time we did not feel that way at all, and it certainly looked like Ra’ad is trying to help those who approach the DCO as best he can.10H15Hawwara: 28-30 people waiting at the checkpoint.10H4070-80 crowded in the line. Two soldiers manning the metal detectors, and only one at the screening position. A., the checkpoint commander claimed that the rest of the soldiers were eating. Five minutes later another soldier manned a screening position and things started moving faster.11H00We left the checkpoint. On the way, in an area used as a make-shift market, Border Police were chasing away peddlers, forcing them to pack their goods and leave.