Huwwara
Huwwara South Tuesday 1 March 2005 Watchers: Aharona M., . (reporting) Tal ACommencement: 8:00 a.m. Finish: 9:40 a.m.Summary: Many snap roadblocks on the way. At Huwwara – a very quiet shift, springlike with the southern roadblock practically closed.7:30 a.m.A snap roadblock below Road No. 5, between two villages (one, apparently is Zawiya). 6 cars standing in front of the roadblock.37 cars are standing and waiting at Tapuach Junction, southbound.8:00 a.m.When we get out of our vehicles at Huwwara, someone shouts at us from the parking area “They have not closed the roadblock today.” From this we take it that there is an expectation that this will be the case.At the roadblock there is no queue and people cross unchecked. There are also no soldiers at the checkpoints. Almost all of them are busy with the vehicles passing through. They receive us with a smile and the officer in charge of the roadblock N. (Nadav) explains that the roadblock should be closed today (for ever?!) however, this morning they received an order not to close it and they are waiting for the brigade commander’s decision, he is supposed to arrive at noon. Those passing through the roadblock are confused; some of them get out identity cards and offer them to the soldiers. One even approaches us and tries to show us his document after the soldiers signals him to continue on his way: the power of habit.We are also astonished to see tourists crossing with no one taking any notice of them. The soldiers are unable to give us a clear explanation as to what will happen when those crossing leave Nablus and cross the northern roadblock. Later, Second Lieutenant B (Boris), the officer in charge of the northern roadblock, explains that those holding blue cards or foreign passports will not be stopped when leaving Nablus because they were not warned when entering.On our way home there is a snap roadblock on the Yitzhar to Huwwara road and at Jit Junction (this time on the west bound side) – 15 cars are waiting.Huwwara North. 1 March 2005 Watchers: Yona A., (reporting) Rachel A. A tranquil, spring day, the sun is warm and the hills are green. No one is held up. The people entering and leaving the roadblock cross peacefully. It is like the promenade of a mountain holiday town. Inshalla. (God, let it be.)8:45 a.m.A family with three small children and a suitcase tried to cross without using the carousels, this was not allowed.9:00 a.m.Employees of a cellular phone company (Paltal) in a car, One of them an Israeli citizen with no pass. One of the Palestinian passengers speaks to the D.C.O. officer Hassam, he takes the Israeli I.D. card to the southern roadblock. The officer of the roadblock, Second Lieutenant B (Boris) phones him and asks him to return the document. They are allowed to cross after half an hour.9:10 a.m.A man and a woman are held up. They are released after 15 minutes.Another person is held up: after a few minutes he asks the soldiers to hurry up as he is due to have surgery. The roadblock officer allows him through without being checked.A Military Policewoman at the checkpoint shouts rudely at the women waiting on the other side of the carousels: “Well, are you going to come through today?” The officer goes over to her and talks to her quietly.9:30 a.m.Two are held up.Tal A.
Huwwara
See all reports for this place-
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)
.
Ronit Dahan-RamatiAug-24-2026Huwara: The school on the outskirts of town and an outpost hidden among the trees
-
