Morning
Huwwara and Saara Checkpoints, Saturday morning, 27 Dec 2003.MachsomWatch Observers: V.T., V.G., H.H., and V.B. A “strict closure” [“seger ve-keter”; military cordon and restriction of movement] has been imposed on the Nablus area, from the time of the bombing at the Geha junction; recall that the bomber was from Bet Furik. Tapuah junction:Only residents of Huwwara were allowed to pass. We were denied entry as well; an earnest-faced soldier declared that “he cannot be responsible for our safety.” So we took a roundabout route: turning left to Ariel, then to the right in the direction of Qedumim, then right again in the direction of Yitzhar.We stopped at Sara, and proceeded to Huwwara. Huwwara Checkpoint:The CP was closed except for humanitarian and medical cases. The Saara CP was closed exept for serious medical emergencies, [meaning:] “if somebody is going to die”. We did not try to get to Bet Furik since the soldiers told us that the village is under total curfew. Saara checkpoint:The CP is on a hill, with a pillbox on top. Last month we encountered an iron gate at the bottom of the hill. People left transportation thereand had to climb on foot. But on this shift we did not see any public transportation. The iron gate was open so we could drive up.The CP underwent some “development” – earth mounds and concrete blocks. We encountered two soldiers in a Palestinian car (stolen, so they claimed) and then an armored vehicle with an officer.One of the two soldiers was highly ambivalent, declared “he will not talk to us” but then proceeded to do so in a hesitant manner. We were told that the vehicle was damaged yesterday by explosives which were left at the CP, and because of that the CP was refitted with increased fortification and declared “armored” [memugan], and will be operated in the present fashion in the future as well.We were ordered away from Saara, due to “security warnings”. We saw some people returning downhill, who were denied entry. The officer declared that only the dying, in ambulances could possibly pass at this time. Huwwara checkpoint:The two CPs in the two directions were united into one. Soldiers and officer Itai were approachable and listening, and did not sound very fanatic about the efficacy of CP strictness in ensuring the Security of the State.We managed to help quite a few people who were not “dying in ambulances”. Ambulances:Lots of them, both ways, a familiar sight during total closures. Ambulances were checked thoroughly, but were allowed to pass, carrying not only the sick but also medical personnel.The disadvantage is that people with serious medical conditions (dialysis, whatnot) who manage to get to the CP on taxis or on foot, are allowed to pass only in ambulances. Elad, the DCO [civil administration] officer, is a strict enforcer of this rule.And the ambulances cost money, 100 NIS from the village, 50 NIS from one side of the CP to another – so we were told. The soldiers call it, “ambu-taxi.” Cars with medical equipment were also allowed to pass.Teachers, students, and DCO “tasrikh” (passage permit) holders were denied passage.A young, frustrated girl with a mom tried to convey the soldier that she REALLY has to pass school exams on this day but it did not help.Three ladies who had to make a payment installment in the Nablus bank for the Hajj were stopped as well. 07:20, On the way to Huwwara, at the Kochav Yair junction (opposite Shaar Binyamin industrial zone):We encountered a roadblock in the form of a “flying” (impromptu) CP [“machsom peta”] in the direction of Jerusalem, and a long queue of some 60 cars. (We saw same on previous Saturday shifts before.)V. called Naama asking to send support to expedite things. Later on the way back there were only four cars there.
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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