Hawwara, Beth Furik, Wednesday, 19.10.05, PMObservers: Jehudith K. Dvorka A. (reporting)Hanna k. translatingA quiet shift. The absolute dependence of the Palestinians on the good or bad will of each soldier is worrying and despairing.13.30 At the Eastern Tapuach junction there are four cars. The eastern checkpoint is closed because of the curfew.13.45 Hawwara – when we arrive about hundred people were waiting in the shed, and passed in two queues. The soldiers stood on the other side of the concrete separation wall, as, according to them, a young Palestinian had tried, the previous week, to attack with a knife a soldiers who stood next to the separation. Women and elderly people passed at the humanitarian queue. The number of people waiting increased periodically, and the waiting time was about one hour.The checkpoint commander, sergeant A. behaved in a strange, even rude fashion. We learned his name from the way soldiers addressed him, as he himself refused to identify himself . From the manner other soldiers behaved it was evident that he had ordered them not to give us his name. Interesting to know why. When we arrived he sent a soldier to instruct us to transfer our car from its habitual parking space near the garbage tank to the sign which announced that Israelis were forbidden to stay in the Palestinian controlled area. When we did as he asked the sergeant came up to us himself and demanded rudely to park the car still further away, as “he didn’t want there area around the fence to be too crowded”. Apart from our car there was no other car in the area…14.30-14.45 Beth Furik -the traffic is very sparse. A few cars passed and about twenty pedestrians, without being delayed. We returned to Huwwara.15.00 Hawwara – During our stay there three young men were detained. One told us that he is being detained lately every day, and his identity card is being checked. After about twenty minutes the check was completed and he was released.The two other young men were detained for “educational motives”. A bearded soldier brought one of them to the detainees shed, gave his identity card to a soldiers named E. and told him that the young man has caused disturbances in the queue and that he therefore should be detained for half an hour and released only then.We drew his attention to the fact that he was not authorized to punish. He disregarded us and took off. E. on the other hand, who was very matter of fact and polite towards the Palestinians during our entire stay, checked the young man’s identity card and released him immediately.The third young man was also brought to the shed “because he caused disturbances”. The young man who talked fluent Hebrew, explained to E. that when he stood in the queue he suggested to the soldier who was checking them, to change something in the waiting procedure. The reaction of the soldier was something like: “come now, I will show you what it means to talk” and sent him to the detainees shed. He too was released by E. after a short check.Again it was so oppressive to witness to what extent every Palestinian approaching the checkpoint is absolutely in the hands of the soldiers, and depending on their arbitrariness and the enormous sense of power of some of the soldiers, and with what easiness some of these young soldiers with all the power and authority invested in them, can (when they are evil or arrogant) make the life of the occupied a misery.16.30 Tapuach Junction – few cars which passed southwards, without being detained.