Za’atara Hawarra Beit Furik, Sunday 12.3.2007 PMObservers: Riva B. Nur B. (reporting)Natanya translating.13.30 – A little behind Zhaar Ephraim work by tractor and bulldozer is continuing. It seems that this is a road to the nearby settlement. The area is surrounded by olive trees.13.45 Marda. A young boy tells us that it is now quiet there. The harassment at Marda is now and again. Not as at Jamaiem which is more to the north next to Zeita.Za’atara. 21 cars wait in an easterly direction, about 30 from the north. No limitations. Passengers alight from taxis, amongst them an elderly women who had great difficulty getting out and then in again. They wait a while and go on their way. The next taxi undergoes the same procedure. The men raise their shirts. “Show the stomach” the soldier commands and when this is not done sufficiently he says “Are you trying to get funny with me?”When we ask about the long lines the commander, a captain with the rank of sergeant who refuses to give his name. says that there is a hot alert coming out of Nablus. There was one in the morning and this was cancelled at 11.00 and at that very moment had been renewed. When we asked about Jamaiem he says he does not know where it is or what is happening there. 14.12 – 26 cars on the road from Jit. A driver, 6th in line, says he has been waiting half an hour.14.25 Huwwara. In the area of the terminal at the side of the parking lot a hole has been dug and in it is a scaffold of wood part of which is already fixed in the cement.At the checkpoint are 5 cars waiting to enter Nablus. The line from Nablus is long and we cannot see the beginning of the end of it. The cars are very carefully checked. People alight, their parcels are sent through the x-ray machine and they show their ids. This takes about 4.5 minutes from the moment the car arrives at the beginning of the line. This without taking into account the amount of time the car has already waited in line.Two turnstiles for the young men, although last week we were told there should be three. The commander. A, said that they were short of a policeman. There is a side line for the women and elderly men. We arrived after the changing of the shift and the wait in the line shortens considerably. The men coming out say that they waited an hour to an hour and a half and a young man says this is relatively good. Yesterday they waited three hours. But other men said they waited half an hour.For quiet a few weeks the x-ray machine has been working and so the men do not have to undergo the humiliating exposure of their bodies. But today we were surprised to see that some of the men were asked to undress. The commander says that it appears that the x-ray machine does not show up copper and explosive devices of copper have been found. But not all the men are asked to undress and it seems that the checking is random. The men fix up their clothing where we are standing. One of the soldiers orders them “Don’t get dressed here.” We asked why and were told that it bothered the soldiers. The soldiers order a young man to undress. He has taken off his coat and is now told to take off his shoes. He tries to understand why. No one else has been asked to do so. “Listen” shouts the soldier in Arabic and continues in Hebrew “Take off your shoes.” The soldiers shout “Go back” . The commander intervenes and the young man goes through. An Israeli from Acre is detained about two hours because he entered Nablus without permission. He visited his sister. The commander has called in the police. The centre does not deal with the problems of Israelis. A young man from Nablus is also waiting because soldiers took his id from him. He has a teacher’s document which proves his identity. The commander wrote his details on this, a note which will stay at the checkpoint for the soldiers. A Freudian slip. The commander says “Border police stole his id.” But immediately corrected himself ” took”.15.15 Awarta. A few trucks unloading their goods. 7 trucks at the entrance to Nablus.15.20 Beit Furik. When we asked what villages were allowed to pass we received a reply of organized silence from the soldiers. Few pedestrians leaving Nablus. Also few cars. A driver entering the city is told to open the baggage compartment and to lift up the spare wheel. He does not understand in the beginning. Again the soldier asks him to do so. Is the army scared that he is going to carry out a terrorist activity in Nablus.? Why do cars going into Nablus have to be so carefully checked.16.00 Huwwara. Cars leaving Nablus are carefully checked. At the entrance to the city few cars. Many more young men are exiting Nablus. There is great overcrowding at the turnstiles. When we arrived a third post started to wrok . Also a side line for women and elderly men. The detainee is still here. The commander said he summoned the police because he has to act according to the Israeli law.The soldiers shout “Don’t push, go back. Watch, money, everything out” (this is in front of the x-ray.” “You are causing a whistle and can’t pass Shut your mouth.” Again and again the cry of HEY! Waiting time between an hour to an hour a half according to the people. An elderly man, about the age of my father says “So we are not human” and there are tears in his eyes.16.45 -11 cars waiting on the road to Jit and the baggage is being checked.17.10 Za’atara. No cars and 2 from the east. The soldiers say the hot alert has been cancelled. 17.15 Marda. The residents say that half an hour previously a jeep entered. They come in nearly every night and throw gas grenades. M. with whom we spoke by phone says that the previous night they wounded a man with the butt of the rifle, a young man of about 18 and then took him to be treated at Ariel. He was brought back at 2.00 in the morning and he has a document which he will give to them people of “Tesh Din” who will help him if he wants to make a complaint at the police station in Ariel. Another young boy of 14 was taken to the police station at Katzrin and was sent back at 12 at night. Mickey Fisher has reported all this. 17.50 -The checkpoint at the entrance to the West Bank in an easterly direction.