Za’atara Huwwara Beit Furik, Wednesday 14.3.07, AMNina S., Hanna A. (reporting)Translation: Nina S.It seems the combination of cold rainy weather and occupation make for little movement today and also the ‘hello’ and ‘please’ of the reserves at Zaatra do not soften the level of anger, frustration and humiliation the passer feel when they have to bare their stomach, lift their pants edge, turn around and/or wait in the rain until their friends checkup has been finished.8.00 – Marda – The grey iron arm at the western entrance was open today. Just past it, there was an army vehicle waiting and a little further on there was another one on the other side of the road.8.08 – Zaatra/Tapuach junctionFrom the west – There were only a cab and bus waiting at the side.From the north – 2 checking points active, a few minutes later a third CP was opened.At the parking lot a bus was being checked. A soldier got into it while the passengers stayed in it.8.13 – A cab is sent to the side, the passengers alight. The driver has to unload all luggage (bags, nylon bags) and place then on the wet pavement (there are umpteen puddles there). The way he gestured while lighting a cigarette and unloading, it seems the driver is cross. Later the soldier instructs the passengers, all men, to lift jacket edges and turn around.8.17 –Identity cards are returned to the passengers and they may continue in the direction of Ramalla.8.18 – A bus from Jenin arrives and continues after a few minutes.8.23 – We left and saw from the west now 7 cars in line and from the north 21.8.33 – HuwwaraThere are very few pedestrians, even for a Wednesday morning.There are 3 active CPs, one of then called by the soldiers the ‘humanitarian’.There is a dog but no screening car.A man, having passed his check comes through the turnstile and blurts at us:” well, thats nice, isn’t it? To live in a jail”.In one of the lines it is not enough for the girl soldier to perform the checkup, the soldier guarding her must show authority too, to make him feel important. After being checked by the girl the passers have to raise their jacket edges again, loosen their belt, turn around. And on this cold day, on the wet concrete floor we even saw a man that had to take off his shoes and show their inside to the girl, take of his socks, and stand barefoot on the concrete floor. His expression was moving between embarrassment to helplessness to anger.And did you know that a jacket needs a license too? A man arrived with a jacket he was asked to take off. This jacket was described by the girl soldier as “a border police jacket “hallo, young guy do you have a license for the jacket?” she asks him. He did not understand, maybe because he does not speak Hebrew, maybe because this is really an odd question (Yes, you may find logic in such a question too) to expect jackets to need passage licenses too. “Young guy come here a minute, you need a license for the jacket. Oh well, how should I explain this to him… I ask him, he does not understand. Men ask them, they do understand”.Don’t worry, it seems the chap has shown her some paper and he was allowed to continue on his way.And other sights: a woman with baby in her arms, a toddler attached to her dress comes through and places her parcels on the concrete floor. They are waiting for a man that has to go through the separate line. It was lucky the soldiers did not object to the passing residents waiting, under the roof of the CP exit, for the rain to stop (though water gets in there too). After a while a young guy arrives and they continue on their way, in the pouring rain.A youngster passing though is particularly angry with the soldiers who ill treat the passing men. The bagel seller, who came too, to stand away from the rain, under the roof of the CP, tells us of a pregnant woman he saw slipping and falling when she tried to avoid the rain. And another woman with a baby in her arms, runs fast to avoid the rain. And another one with young child carrying a smaller girl. And an elderly lady that can hardly walk, supported by a young child. And also a cab driver who has to open the luggage on the concrete wall. And all this in pouring rain.9.40 – Beit Furik7 cars are waiting in line at the exit from the village. There are a few cars in line from the direction of Nablus too.No pedestrians and later a thin drizzle of people going through.Time passes and no cars are let through.9.55 -We call the humanitarian centre to complain that no cars are let through though the soldiers just stand there chatting and smoking. We spoke loudly with the centre so the soldiers will hear our complaint and loo and behold, they started checking the cars, fist the ones in line from Nablus then at 9.59 the one who was standing in line from the village. The next car arrives; a woman and the driver get out and stand in the rain while they check it. The soldier’s body language indicates they are ‘educating’ the driver. The soldier points at his watch and ads to it a movement that says ‘why’.Another driver comes through and tells us he has been waiting here since 6.30 am and since a week ago the checkups are extremely slow.It is pouring with rain and people are told to get out of their cars and stand in the rain while their IDs and car are being checked.We left at 10.1510.20 Yitzhar/Burin junction direction of Jit there is a flying checkpoint. No line.10.28 Za’atara/Tapuach junction – 10 cars in line from Nablus and 3 are waiting from the west.There are road works for a new road above the industrial area south to road 5 (opposite barkan).