Huwwara, Awarta and Beit Furiq
Huwwara, Awarta and Beit Furiq 24 May 2007 Watchers and reporters: Moran A., Esti V., and Nava A.Translation: Suzanne O.The IDF went into Nablus during the night, in the morning the roadblocks were not busy.Tapuach/Za’atra6:35 a.m. There were no military vehicles on the way. At the entrances to Marda and Zeita workers await transport.We parked in the roadblock car park with no problems.Three cars queue from the west. There is a long queue from the direction of Huwwara.According to the armoured corps soldiers there – because of the IDF actions during the night the number of soldiers at the roadblock this morning has been reduced. The Border Police are not here either. The roadblock commander is matter of fact and tells us that there are no particular limitations.The inspections are quite speedy but because only one checkpoint is functioning the queue is lengthening.6:50 a.m.The Yitzhar/Borin roadblocks are not staffed. At Huwwara roadblock the roundabout has been completed and a ‘drainage’ area has been laid with tarmac.HuwwaraThere are only a few people at the pedestrian exit from the town, there is a heavy flow at its entrance. The humanitarian lane is functioning. Cars are inspected in only one inspection lane. The x-ray machine is here and the cases are carried there and back again.The cell and the detainees’ shed are empty.A large number of soldiers and Military Police are present. In spite of this the commander (“my name is not relevant”) is not prepared to open an additional checkpoint for cars leaving.We try to find out from the Palestinians what went on in Nablus during the night. Those who were prepared to talk to us were divided between “everything is as normal” and “it was a mess”. There is no DCO representative present. Later on a dog handler arrived.A group of Hill Youths arrive and chat with the soldiers; of course they cross the white line and so do we. The commander hurries to move them back so as not to get into an argument with us.Awarta7:40 a.m.One Palestinian lorry waits at the entrance to the town. The car park is deserted. We do not alight from the car and continue on southwards.Beit Furiq7:45 a.m.There is a queue of ten cars at the exit from the village. As usual, there are practically no pedestrians. The paratroopers pass the time with chitchat. A soldier from the Signals corps who has been attached to the roadblock inspects the vehicles quickly and efficiently. Since only one lane is functioning for those leaving the queue does not get shorter.A tractor driver without a Beit Furiq I.D. card is detained for a while; finally he is permitted to go into the village fields.A Hammer jeep arrives again for a visit but we do not stay to witness the divisional meeting.Back at Huwarra8:20 a.m.More pedestrians, but still only one checkpoint for the exiting vehicles. Two soldiers erect a fence between the pedestrian and the car lanes.08:50The roadblocks at the Yitzhar/Borin Junction are still empty. In the town a Border Police vehicle is parked between two garages.Tapuach/Za’atra Junction: empty from all directions.A military vehicle is parked by the camouflaged, abandoned house.There are no military personnel at the entrance to Zeita and Marda.
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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Shoshi AnbarMay-18-2025Huwara: The old houses in Area C
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Marda
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Marda
There are about 2500 inhabitants in the village. A large part of their lands was confiscated for the benefit of the settlement of Ariel, some of whose buildings are adjacent to the village.
They often feel under siege. At both entrances to the village from the main road (505) there are checkpoints and the army does close the yellow arms from time to time. The inhabitants of Marda own olive groves behind a fence. Rarely are they allowed to cultivate their agricultural plots
Shoshi AnbarApr-14-2025Marda: The gate has been closed since the beginning of the war
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