Huwarra, Zaatra, Itzhar, Saara, Beit
Furik

D.Ben Y., H.A., Ingrid( a visitor) , S.G

A RATHER QUIET DAY WITH PEOPLE AND VEHICLeS PASSING FAST IN THE
THREE

MAIN CPS.

7.40 AM Tapuach 7 cars 6 of which yellow cabs, waiting in a queue

that seemed to be moving reasonably, two people waiting for Ids, no

other pedestrians

Itzhar- No checkpoint at all- an open road

8. 00 AM Saara

a few cabs down hill, and young people, who told us they were
students

walking up-hill. We walked with them. On top two soldiers guarding
on

the two sides of the road on top of the hill, and checking ids

etc. one- an officer actually checking, the other sort of
‘covering”

him. Around 20 males in one queue and two couples with babies and

another woman in the other-all wairting to cross to Nablus-with
cabs

etc waiting on the slope of the other side of the hill. Around 10

people in one line waiting to go out of Saara , and less than that

waiting to go out of the Nablus road south. The soldiers moved from

one road on this small junction to the other. Checking thoroughly
but

reasonably fast. There was one lorry waiting to be unloaded. They
were

ready to talk briefly with us, and eager not to be judged as acting

harshly etc. One middle aged man ventured out of his place in the

queue to complain about the long waits and the unreasonableness of
it

all, and later on talked with us too about that. One can gather
that

our afternoon shifts could be of more help.

Huwarra 9.00AM

South side- about 50-60 males and a few women waiting on line. It

seems as if a sense of impatience pervaded the younger people in
the

queue. The DCO Amit, was efficient, spoke Arabic fluently, and was

patient and polite; the other soldiers less so. He behaved
correctly

but impatiently at times towards our few appeals. Very strict on

people trying to get into Nablus without some kind of permit, but
with

children they said were ill, saying that their kids are ill,
without

actual letter from any doctor or a regular perrmit cannot pass. The

same goes for students with cards other than those of universities
in

Nablus . In less than 30 minutes the queue was
cleared.

There was one young Palestinian, American citizen with visa only to

Israel, waiting for his passport to be cleared at the
“shabak”. it took

almost two hours, the Moked could not help, but before 10 am after
we

could not establish contact with Mounir, Amit tried again and soon

after the man was cleared.

North side

Rather less people as Ofer the DCO came soon and was doing the
checking

and letting go very efficiently and politely. He was also helpful

in terms of helping to clear with Amit some of the cases in the

southern side.

Beit Furik 10.30 am

Completely empty!! with another young DCO officer there. We
inquired

about the presence of a biting dog that the inhabitants complained

about, and were told by the DCO that it was sent by him to a far
away

place.

There is a small checkpoint on the road leading to Awarta ( office
for

permits), with a line of lorries which moved, so people said, in
about

10-15 minutes waiting .

On the way back- at Huwarra-11.20

-A large number of new concrete blocking pieces were brought just
when

we were leaving. Could not get any info what for

– the soldiers were driving the various small food stalls that

installed themselves not far from the checkpoint farther away,
claiming

that both the safety of the people on queue and the need for

cleanliness called for such a move. It also turned out that( under

their pressure?) the cab drivers( there was a large number of
those) got

organised to pay for the cleaning of the area!

To be checked-

Is there any way to help cab drivers who are being harassed by the

ordinary polce and given endless number of tickets on any
pretext.