Huwwara, Sunday 8.10.06 PMObservers: Galit G.,Judit B., Noa P., Naomi L. (reporting)CP Commander – lieutenant M., DCO representative: unknown to us, incommunicative both with the Palestinians and with us.No vehicles waiting-lines at Za’atara (Tapuach) Junction on our way there and back.At Burin (Yitzhar) Junction – a line of about20 cars coming from the Jit CP and from Huwara CP, on our way there and back. The water tanker driver who supplies water to the surrounding villages reported that soldiers detained him twice during that day, until they took the trouble to read the humanitarian service provider permit he holds, that enables him to cross checkpoints without waiting in line. Huwwara CP:15:15- on the way we heard that the latest newscast reported a ‘catch’ of numerous rifle bullets at noon in Huwara CP, and then of the violence against two Palestinian brothers earlier this morning, and wondered about the connection between the two incidents.Compared to most Sundays, there were fewer Palestinians arriving at the CP throughout our shift. The extended wait imposed on them at the CP and thus their disability to make it home in time for breaking the Ramdan daily fast seem to be reason enough to stay away from the CP unless they must.The special women’s line that had been maintained in the open lately has been canceled and everyone is back to crowding in the shed, women and men mixed together. The bottom age limit of elderly men allowed in this line seemed around 45-50. The criteria did not seem clearly consistent. Today, men under 45 were sent to suffer it out in the young men’s lines. And this was indeed a torment – crowding, agitation, shouts and quarrels, and public humiliation in the form of women soldiers conducting the body checks. At the vehicle checking line as well all passengers were ordered to disembark and required to life shirt and undershirt, pant legs, expose everything in full view of everyone around, and then try to fully dress again while maintaining their privacy. How can one tuck one’s shirt and undershirt back in without unbuttoning or unzipping one’s trousers and exposing one’s underwear?The women, on the other hand, were checked by the male soldiers. From the loudspeaker, constant yells – ‘Yallah, irja, irja!! – Get on with it, move back!!! –not quite clear to whom these were directed. The entrance for vehicles with permits was closed with the plastic barrier and cars had to stand and wait for some soldier to avail himself. Some tried honking at times, but no one heeded them. A car driven by a woman was finger-signaled to turn around and drive away for lack of special permit. The rest of the cars waiting in line had to watch the back of the CP commander walking away from them. Let them wait. Only when an accumulated line of 8 cars was formed did he send a soldier to check them.15:38 – an army jeep stops at the entrance to drop off and pick up soldiers, and cars that had already been checked had to wait until it made way.Rumors at the CP are that they’re waiting for a visit of the Deputy Chief of staff, hence the many officers including Company Commander Haggai who hastened to demand that we stand ‘where we’re authorized to stand’, which he thinks is behind the old abandoned ID checking posts (meters away from any goings on between soldiers and Palestinians even after their check, on way to exit turnstiles). After a short exchange with him he let us alone, not before expressing his amazement at the fact that some of our own personal sons did serve in quite respectable crack units in the same army. “Now I understand even less what you’re doing here”… (We thought it is high time we give the soldiers a short explanatory flyer about who and what we are. From our brief exchanges ith them they haven’t the faintest notion.)Large parcels of jeans wrapped in nylon were thrown on the ground by the Palestinian cart-driver, who tore holes in the sacks for the army detector-dog to sniff inside, jump and drool all over the goods. And we thought how lucky that it’s not raining so at least the owner is spared a good dose of mud to along with the dog drool.16:40 – the waiting line shed is full. Passengers of a minivan were taken off it and sent to stand in a line aside. After having their IDs checked all the men were required to perform the shirt pirouette ritual, one by one facing everyone present at the checkpoint at the time, across the way from the packed waiting lines. No discretion, no privacy, compulsory male striptease for the masses.16:35 – a significant addendum to our state’s security: occasionally youngsters required by the conscientious MPwoman to take off their shoes, pick them up from the ground and show her their contents. She also sent a manual magnetometer towards their crotch or behind, to make sure no bomb was being smuggled in the private parts.The CP Commander turned to us on his own initiative, suggesting we help a 17 year old who worked and was caught as an illegal in Hadera (inside Israel), arrested, brought to the Tul Karem CP and told to proceed from there to his home in Ramallah – without an ID. Not clear how he managed to get to Nablus, but here he was not allowed through and got stuck at the CP. After locating his ID number and with the help of the army humanitarian hotline (who instructed the officer at the CP to take care of the matter), he was allowed through. We gave him our phone numbers and that of the DCO in case this happens at the next checkpoints on his way, and since we heard no more of him, we assumed and hoped he got home safely.A woman with 3 little daughters, one of them a baby, waited for an hour for her brother to pass through the young men’s line. Most men waited between 30 and 45 minutes.A full bus, mostly with women and children, with all the necessary permits and documents posted openly on its windshield was not allowed into Nablus for the regular driver had fractured his arm and was presently being cared for in the hospital, and his substitute driver did not suit the criteria of his permit. The owner of the bus company, present at the scene, very crossly tried to persuade the CP commander and DCO representative, finally gave up and summoned another substitute driver from Nablus who answered the Criteria. Finally after 45 minutes the bus entered Nablus.17:35 – DCO representative left.17:45 – The Cp nearly empty.18:00 – we left.Beit Furiq15:40 – during our shift at Huwara CP, H. called us and complained that his 18-year old brother, held at the Ofer prison camp, and released four days ago, left this morning for school in Nablus (he is still in high school), and upon his return home, was picked up at the CP and taken into custody. They do not know his whereabouts, or why he was arrested once again. After calling the army hotline, we found out he was indeed released after a 30-day arrest and interrogation period, but the GSS (general security services) did not bother to update the army and therefore he came up on the random pickings at the CP and arrested. We were promised that the GSS would also find this out and he would be released during the night. After the recent episode with the two brothers who were brutally beaten up at Huwara CP at 6 a.m., we don’t know what’s better – to be held by the GSS or be dumped at the CP at night without access to Beit Furiq and without any of his family members being able to get to him. So we’re left in suspense.15:20 – the CP is empty. The green light in the mosques of the area twinkles the breaking of the Ramadan daily fast. Before we even arrived at the concrete ledges of the CP, the soldiers broke out shouting “The Israel-haters are coming! You are not allowed on the CP premises!” etc. After setting up near the first turnstile (Closer to the exit towards Beit Furiq) and making phone calls (mainly to other Machsomwatchers) we were left in peace. 3 cars coming from Nablus were checked quickly and went through. Occasionally a soldier aired various insights such “Go live in Uganda, you’ll see what a state you’ll have there!” and we weren’t sure he was addressing this to us or to the Palestinians…17:35 – Since not a civilian soul was there (besides the stray dogs), and our presence did wonders for the soldiers’ spirited unit-morale, we left.As of the time we write this report – Monday, 9.10.06, 9:30 p.m. – the above-mentioned boy is still held in custody/arrested and everyone we’ve tried to contact about this is either abroad, or claims that he has no connections with the GSS.