Huwwara, Biet Forik, Za`atra Intersecton, Awarta, Monday 23/10/06 pmObservers: Riva B., Hagit P., Nur B., Merav A. (reporting)It’s the first day of the holiday Id El Fiter, there are many Palestinians on the road on their way to visit relatives. They are dressed in their holiday best, whole families on the road trying to preserve the holiday spirit despite the checkpoints. Representatives of the army are glad to report to us that today they are taking the holiday into account and are easing restrictions—those with blue IDs (Israeli IDS) are allowed to enter Schem (Nablus) (it isn’t clear weather they will also be allowed to leave Nablus in two days. There is no curfew and no separation just a ring of army around the city. Those of the age of 18 to 25 are not allowed to leave the city.Restrictions on Traffic: Those between the ages of 18 to 15, residents of Nablus are not allowed to leave the city. Otherwise there are no restrictions of passage. This also applies to residents of Jenin and Tul Karem.13:50 – The obstruction on the road approaching Bruchin is in place, we see a lot of traffic on both sides of the obstruction, but there is no army presence. The gates at Marda and Zieta are open.14:00- At Zaatra-Tapuach there are many soldiers. Nothing special happened, there is simply an overlap of two units, one leaving the other replacing it. There are 7 cars waiting to the west, 11 from the north, the checking is relatively fast, there are three checking stations checking vehicles from the north (from Hawarra) and one of them is manned by the Border Police.14:20 Huwwara Checkpoint Intersection- Yitzhar- The “temporary” checkpoint stands as usual in the direction of Gitit intetsection. 9 cars await inspection.14:25 Because of the holiday there are few shops open in Hawara and relatively few taxis in the parking lot by the checkpoint and there is no market.Huwwara- Har Bracha Checkpoint: There are many women, older men and children waiting by the checkpoint. They are all waiting for the young men to pass. They have to wait sometimes up to an hour. Here and there young men of the ages restricted try their luck in passage, and usually fail. Their families are disappointed that they are directed by to the city, despite the holiday. A minibus arrives with four adults and fifteen children, most of them between the ages of 5 to 8. They are from Kalkilya and the minibus does not have a permit to enter Nablus but they try asking to be allowed in despite this. They explain that because they have so many children with them and also a woman with a small baby, there is no taxi large enough to contain them. We called the Humanitarian Center and requested that they be allowed into Nablus as a gesture in honor of the holiday despite the fact that they don’t have a permit. S. from the Center promised to check. Meanwhile the children scatter around the checkpoint, having a good time. It’s a surrealistic sight. Occasionally one of the soldiers goes out and shouts at them to keep a distance from the checkpoint. He threatens them with his rifle, growls at the adults, “How many times have I told you not to stand here? Get away from here! Do you want me to go out to you?” After repeated phone calls to the Humanitarian Center there is no progress. Initially S. says that the unit denies the existence of a minibus at the checkpoint, later she returns to us and promises to try to procure passage for them because of the holiday. After an hour of waiting, they give up and enter by foot. Afer another hour we hear from the Humanitarian Center that the minibus is not allowed into the city because it doesn’t have a permit. It’s great to have a Humanitarian Center (more about that later). An old man with his grandson waits for this son who is in the checking line for young men. He tells us that his grandson was ill and they had not slept all night, they sat next to the child’s bed, and in the morning they took him to the hospital in Nablus. Now the child is alright. At some point he tries to get close to the line in order to see his son’s position and the soldiers come at him with a growl, waving his rifle. The grandfather and grandson wait for another hour until the son passes the checkpoint. A man approaches us and says that his sister in law is pregnant, in the 7th month and does not feel well and he asked the commander of the checkpoint to pass her though quickly. The commander was willing to have the woman pass quickly, but not “her whole tribe”. The woman does not want to leave without her husband on the line so finally they wait their turn, another half hour. It turns out the “whole tribe” was her husband and his father. At some point the soldiers open another checking station to check the young men, so now there are two such stations and the going is a little faster.15:00 Biet Furik: (Observing: Riva B., Nur B. reporting)For the past two weeks the only people allowed to pass this checkpoint are residents of Biet Faruk and Biet Dajan. Residents of Azmut, Dir El Hatab and Salem, who are accustomed to use this checkpoint, are no longer allowed to do so. The new order, which is not yet known, the holiday, the rigid and superior commander, created a great deal of pressure and suffering at the checkpoint. The absence of a representative of the DCL there on a holiday is especially felt and is regrettable. Immediately upon our arrival a 50 year old man approaches us. His family are residents of Biet Faruk, and therefore they have always passed with no problem, despite the fact that his residency at Biet Faruk is written in his ID, the computer shows him as a resident of Jerico because his business is located in the Jerico area. He tells us that he passes the checkpoint every week with no problem. The commander of the checkpoint rigidly follows his regulations and refuses to use his own discretion. Riva calls S. at the Humanitarian Center who is surprised to hear that usually he passes the checkpoint. Apparently men of his age are only checked by their IDs and not on the computer. The commander of the checkpoint refuses to make exceptions for the holiday and there ensues a complex discussion as to who has the authority to allow this man though. A father with two small children arrives at the checkpoint. He is a resident of the village of Saara and wishes to visit his family in Biet Dajan for the holiday. The commander of the checkpoint refuses. The man stands before us humiliated with tears in his eyes. After a few moments he takes the hands of his children and returns from where he came. Similar cases occur again and again today. Many people on their way to visit family they have not seen in a long time are not allowed through. Some of them hesitated for a moment, stand at the checkpoint for a few more minutes, trying to think up a solution. The soldiers shout at them crudely—”Get away, get back! Fly away from here!” The commander of the checkpoint has a superior attitude, he does not look into the eyes of the person who addresses him, turns his face.15:30- The blue police pass the checkpoint quickly. They stop near us, in the direction of Nablus. The policemen check a car with Palestinian license plates. The inspection takes 15 minuets.16:00- A young man with a blue ID reaches the checkpoint. The soldiers declare himIllegally present and send him to the “hole” (a pit where detainees are imprisoned). The police are called to pick him up.16:40—A couple that married a few months ago arrives. The man is a resident of Biet Dajan, but the woman is still written as a resident of Jawarish. They have a baby. The man is allowed to pass but the woman and the baby not. Riva called the Humanitarian Center again.When we leave, we try to soften the commander and tell him that it’s a holiday and these are only human beings, and he responds, “That they should stick a knife in my back? I’ll talk to them?”17:20 – Awarta —the checkpoint is closed on both sides.17:25 – We saw this before on our way to Beit Furik, settlers stealing wood for heating from the forest near the DCL. It is a large amount of wood—a full transit and they are there for at least an hour and a half.On the phone we hear that the older man and the young couple were allowed to pass the checkpoint after some time and we are glad but we think about all those who were not. Those who were sent back to Nablus without visiting their relatives. We think about the atmosphere in their homes, about the children who saw their parents humiliated, sent back to Nablus.16:50—Huwwara Intersection-Yitzhar—7 cars.16:55 Zaatra-Tapuach— 35 vehicles wait at the checkpoint on the north side, three are at the checking stations, 8 cars to the west.