Huwwara
Huwwara, Beit Furik and Kfar Sarara. Thursday 24 February 2005 Watchers: Nava A., Dana S., Osnat A. Guest reporter: Ofrat.6:30 a.m.Tsomet Tapuach – 27 vehicles wait to pass the road block from the direction of Huwwara.The road block at the entrance of Kfar Sarara – the traffic is flowing well, it is also vehicles (cars, taxis and a tractor). Of the three reserve soldiers standing at the roadblock (another one is standing guard on top of the hill) two guard and one checks.The older soldier asks us to stand further away because “when they see you it creates an unpleasant situation from them and for us”.Dana photographs still life. Before we went the soldier asked us to wait because “he had called the police because we had taken photographs, and anyway he has the authority of a policeman in this place so show him our I.D.’sHe went to our vehicles meaning to note the number plate and while he was doing it said: “what’s the problem, if he had been in our place he would show his I.D. card”. I asked him to show me. He laughed and said that he did not have his wallet with him. I asked for another document which would identify him – he thought for a moment and left us alone. At this point we pacified him and told him that we had not photographed him and the other soldiers. We drove off.It appears that the weapon of calling in the boys in blue – for nothing actually – is invalid. In the light of the increase of this weapon by the reservists – the conclusion that comes to me (and I hope wrongly) is that the army instructs them to do it. Is there no minimum report that a person who calls in the police in has to make before they come to the scene? It is not that we (and I don’t particularly mean our morning shift) really cause sabotage or damage to anyone or to property. What are the criteria that have to be met for the police to answer a distress call from citizens? And from armed soldiers against four women who are standing and watching?Huwwara South No particular events. The traffic is flowing. In the light of the structural changes we are pleased with the fact that the way through is beside the shed and not in it.Structural changes this week:§ The gate to the shed for those held up which was installed two weeks ago has been upgraded – now it is an electric one.§ At the entrance of the road block shed – an electric gate has been installed (in addition to the existing electric revolving gates).Huwwara NorthNo particular events here either. Even though it appears that the attitude of the soldiers has changed for the better, signs of a return to the perversities of the past. Two examples:§ After a period during which we had not seen the phenomenon – today a soldier raised and aimed his weapon at those in the queue being checked. Just like that. He had nothing to do so he stood at the checking counter and aimed.§ Two brothers are held. One is released and waits for his brother. The soldier (from the previous example) saw him and asked, shouting, what he is doing. The man answered that he is waiting for his brother. The soldier, in response, shouts at him to leave. He tells him not to stay otherwise he will have to return to Nablus. The man does not know what to do – he wants to wait for his brother but he is afraid of the soldier. He advances a few paces and stops. Advances another few paces and stops again. Thus, very slowly, he moves in a southerly direction. By the time he reaches the junction between the two road blocks – his brother is released.This is a lesson for us in how, through fear, resourcefulness is born. We call it being street wise.Beit FurikWhen we arrived the road block was empty. Here too the military police are represented, but as in our previous visits here, at this hour the traffic is very, very thin.
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)
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Ronit Dahan-RamatiAug-24-2026Huwara: The school on the outskirts of town and an outpost hidden among the trees
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