Tapuach, Hawarra, Thursday 4.8.2005 PMWatchers: Nurit L. Ronny K. Haleli P. (reporting)Natanya translating. Summary: Many cars from Tapuach and a long line from the north. Comparatively less cars from Hawarra. Buses carefully checked. The soldiers are calm and prepared to talk to us. 14.45-15.10: From the West no cars or detainees. From the north a long line of which we do not see the end but manage to count 20. At the CP 2 male soldiers and 2 female of whom one is a captain. We are immediately asked by one of the soldiers to keep our distance. The cars pass at a reasonable rate but there is still a long line. The soldiers tell us the line became so long as the result of a warning. Many cars from south to north and from north to south many cars also including taxis. A few minutes after we arrive a settler arrives and there is no doubt that he is there because of our prescence. We do not have to mention that though he is also told to keep his distance he does not do so and stands in the CP itself being welcomed warmly by the soldiers. He is very much at home, sitting on a chair inside the CP and chumming up with the soldiers. When we leave there are 32 cars from North to South.15.26 Hawarra: When we arrive there are two detainees who are freed as we get out of the car. Few pedestrians. But from Nablus many cars. All the men have to leave the bus and their belongings are carefully checked. The x-ray machine is not working and everything is done by hand. A man with 6 cases has his belongings on the ground. We should ask that if the machine is not working there should at least be a table for checking. Behind the checkpoint going to Hawarra there is a police jeep stopping people at random for checking. The presence of police has become the norm at Hawarra. Is there anything that can be done about it. The commander A, welcomes us and asks that we write the good things. A. the DCO representative is there when we arrive but disappears shortly after that and we do not see him again.15.45- B. a captain and the commander of the military police introduces himself and asks if we have requests and if there is anything he can do or improve. We point out that there is no humanitarian line and just at the moment a little girl in the arms passes who is obviously sick. He says that he has just given a command for the line to be opened and goes to help the family.15.50- A woman with a 10 year old child is asked to stand aside. The ID is taken by the commander to be checked and the child cries and the woman is also very upset. They do not speak English or Hebrew and we cannot talk to them. We try without words to calm her. The commander does not make them go to the enclosure and says he is trying to end the investigation as quickly as possible and when this is done he will explain the problem to us. 5 minutes later they are freed and the commander asks me to come aside and says that the one woman soldier said that the woman hit her with a stick and therefore they had to check her out. We must say that he did the checking as quickly as he could and did not send them to the enclosure. He has a message for the women of Machsomwatch, that instead of immediately attacking ( his words) they should give him a chance to deal with the problem.16.10- 2 Arab citizens of Jaffa who went into Nablus without a permit are detained. Nurit explains to them what the procedure is on entering the C area and exchanges details. A. explains that if they are not taken to be investigated they will be released in about half an hour. Another detainee has his ID checked and is freed within 5 minutes. The commander has to be commended for dealing with all these matters as quickly and efficiently as possible.16.20- An elderly man from Ramallah comes to the enclosure. He excited suspicion as he left the line in the middle. He says he has sugar and went aside to urinate. After a few minutes a jeep arrives with 4 soldiers, 2 captains and take him for investigation. They go up the hill towards Bracha. A. and N. told us that that is the way he went and they have taken him to the spot to see that he left nothing there. About 15 minutes later the jeep comes back but without the man and we do not see him again and cannot find out where he has been taken or if he has been sent back to Nablus.16.42- Two female settlers arrive with cake and drink for the soldiers and the checking of the cars stops. A. approaches us and we point out what has happened and the line immediately opens.16.50- The soldiers from the jeep go to question the two Arabs from Jaffa and 5 minutes later they are freed. They thank us. One is a taxi driver. Nurit has their details and they are willing to help our organization to take patients to hospital.17.00- We estimate the time it takes a bus from Nablus to be checked is about 20-30 minutes. A bus arrives and all the passengers descend. Now the x-ray machine is working. An ambulance with medicines and equipment is also carefully checked. The soldiers in the jeep evidently know nothing of Machsomwatch, and we have a dialogue with them about the occupation and the checkpoints.17.40- We leave Hawarra. We go up towards Yizhar to look down at the line of cars from Nablus. There are about 12 cars. We then go to the taxi stand at Hawarra and the drivers tell us there is a partial estrangement…no passage to Tul Karm, Jenin and to the south but it is possible to travel southwards to Nablus.18.20- tapuach. Still a long line of cars from the North.