Huwwara,Tapuach-Za’atara Junc. CPSunday 26.11.06 PM Observers: Judit B., Naomi L. (reporting)Guests: Mia and AdvaGhettoization is back in Nablus – 18-25 year old male residents of Nablus are not allowed to exit their city. Jenin residents ages 16-35 are not allowed to cross the Za’atara-Tapuach Junction.Tapuach-Za’atara Junction CP:15:10 – Mohammad, his wife, 2-year old daughter, and 8-month old son, residents of a village near Jenin, are taken off a taxi and the CP commander informs them they will not be allowed to proceed to their destination – Ramallah. Before we arrived they had already spoken with policemen present who recommended to the Commander to let them through, but he has ‘his instructions’.The baby suffers from breathing disorders and fainting since his birth. An Israeli doctor who examined him in Jenin diagnosed a cardiac problem and referred him to Dr. Mahmoud Nashashibi, a specialist from Jerusalem who comes to Ramallah once a month and receives patients there from all over the West Bank. This family managed to make an urgent appointment for tomorrow at 8 a.m. and knowing the checkpoints procedures, realized that if they do not spend the night in Ramallah, there is no chance for them to arrive on time. The CP commander (a yarmuolka-wearer) chases them from the CP and forces them to stand on the other side of the road. When we ask him where his heart is facing the ill baby, he bursts at us: “Where is my heart? My brother was murdered by Arabs. It is you who have no heart…”We called the regional officer in command, the Brigade HQ and the DCO, and waited together with Mohammad, his wife and sweet children.16:20 – an order arrives by phone to let the family proceed to Ramallah. The wife joyfully kissed each of us twice on every cheek. Now they have to cross over to the other side of the CP, where there are more taxis driving to Ramallah, but the commander again sticks to regulations and forbids them to cross the CP on foot. We then stop a taxi carrying olive oil to take them to the other side but the driver seems to have decided to drive them all the way to their destination.Of all the arbitrary and disproportionate incidents we witnessed today, this little victory was a saving grace – that Mohammad’s baby would make it on time to be examined by the specialist and would not have to wait another month and force his father to run around between DCO’s to try and receive permission from the Occupation’s bureaucracy.A car from Azariye was detained for two hours, whose passengers – 2 young men and delivering cosmetics to Qalqiliye and two young women who joined them for the ride.We thought two hours were ample time to look into such a suspect deed, so we called the army humanitarian hotline. First we were told they were being held for traveling without the proper permits. We mentioned that as far as we know, no permits are needed to cross Tapuach Junction, and then we were told this was a security check by the GSS. We asked what exactly takes two hours when checking 4 identity numbers, and asked to look into the matter again. 10 minutes later the youngsters were allowed through.As we waited, we received several calls (including from a woman doctor) from the notorious El Bidan Checkpoint and this morning’s report repeated itself – 120 cars waiting over two hours, the soldiers hardly letting one vehicle through in an hour, crowds of women and small, crying children. We know from recent experience that towards evening, around 5 p.m. the bottleneck opens and everyone is let through, so we called the Brigade. Towards 5 p.m. the deputy brigade commander called Hanna back, reporting he visited there in person and saw only 10 cars waiting in line. Wonder of wonders – when the vehicles are checked continuously, no crowding builds up!Huwwara Checkpoint – observation from the new white lineCommander – second lieutenant D. NO DCO representative throughout our shift.The turnstile (lacking its top bars) is stuck and people are compelled to climb up, throw their belongings down on the ground and jump down. The turnstile ahead is stuck too, and people – used to crossing it – get their faces bashed by its bars.16:30 – drivers of the 12 cars have been waiting for an hour to enter Nablus.When we arrive, the line starts moving.A young man in a wheel chair is led by another young man on the vehicle lane. The commander tells the accompanier to leave the disabled man on the side and go back to stand in the usual line. The accompanier argues and is eventually ordered to remove his coat. The commander body checks him front and back and then lets the two through.Women-soldiers check male pedestrians. The shed is full of people waiting, the special side line reaches all the way back and is alternately opened and closed together with the line of vehicles waiting to enter Nablus.17:00 -the side line (humanitarian) is closed until the vehicle check is terminated. Meanwhile it has become exceedingly crowded and several women and an elderly man open the gate and asked to be let through. A soldier sends them back and they are crushed back towards the gate and forced to wait until the soldier deal with them.A young woman waiting for her fiancé asks why we don’t go back to see what’s happening inside the crowded lines. We point out the white line which we are now forbidden to cross, and she retorts – “That’s what they’re good at doing: marking lines. They have a line for everything, in all colors.”A man shows a “BMC” card issued him at Beit El DCO (in addition to his permit to enter Israel), asking to be let into Nablus where he resides, in his car. The commander chases him away: “I know this guy, he is always asking to enter, and this card is worth nothing.” The man claims that other commanders, in Beit Iba CP as well, let him enter when he shows this card. The fact is, this is how he got out this morning.We asked to see what a BMC card is, issued by the Israeli DCO, and to what end Occupation bureaucracy gives it out, with the person’s picture and data.This is what appears on the card, in English:The bearer of this card is known to be a businessman.The bearer of this card should be treated with respect and dignity. This card does not constitute an entry permit or permission to spend the night in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank unless accompanied with a valid permit. The bearer of this card is subject to law in Israel and throughout the West Bank.The bearer of this card, to be treated with respect and dignity, has to hear from the CP commander that the card (and the man, it follows) “is worth nothing”. He is forced to leave his car at the CP parking area and enter Nablus on foot like anyone else.18:10 – the CP is nearly empty, and we take our guests to the wonderful Huwwara sweet shop, to take away some of the bitter taste left in their – and our – mouths.