Za’atra, Yitzhar, Awarta, Beit Furiq, Huwwara 23 June 2006 Watchers: Orit D., Michal V., Ofra T., Nili P. (reporting)8:20 a.m.Our car was stopped by a policeman on the Green Line at the entrance to the territories on the pretext that the two passengers at the back had not fastened their seat belts.The two had their documents taken for an extensive check and one was given a warning and the other a fine based on their computerised history.A few hundred metres from there, in the opposite direction, a police patrol car stops a lorry.8:50 a.m.A Hammer jeep is parked opposite the entrance to Ariel.Za’atra Junction9:00 a.m. There are no cars in any direction. The roadblock close to Yitzhar Junction is deserted. The roadblock is there but there are no soldiers, therefore, no cars.Awarta Roadblock9:10 a.m. A young Hebrew-speaking Palestinian comes over to us accompanied by a Palestinian aged about 70. The young man is a lorry driver who has a permit to carry cars (the lorry’s permit states explicitly “to carry cars”).The older man is the owner of a burned out Volkswagen van which is loaded onto the towing truck. According to them settlers set the van on fire while it was parked in Huwwara. The two want to take the van to be repaired in Nablus. The soldiers refuse to let them through. According to a soldier, who is in charge of the roadblock, the van has no permit. And why? Because the lorry permit is only to take cars to be broken up, not to be repaired. For break up they need the chassis number, etc. Of course the soldier has a suggestion, that the van be repaired in Huwwara. The men explain to him that the garage in Huwwara is less expert and also does not have the parts. The answer to this is that they take a taxi and bring the parts from Nablus.It is not enough that the man has had his vehicle burned (the electrical system, the front of the van, the wheels – all burned) and his insurance does not cover this eventuality, he is also unable to choose where he has his vehicle repaired.A Palestinian who is involved in what goes on at the roadblock and who helps people has already contacted the DCO three times to ask them to allow the lorry to cross. The third time was a quarter of an hour before our arrival.9:20 a.m.We contact A., at the DCO who says that they know about the matter, it has been dealt with and the Op. Room has been notified that the vehicle should be allowed through.9:25 a.m.We contact the Brigade Op. Room. The clerk tells us that she has no authority to speak to us but does so anyway when we ask to speak to someone who does have the authority. She says that she has not received any notification from the DCO and she will try to find out.9:30 a.m.A further call to A., at the DCO reveals that the instruction was sent to the Battalion Op. Room and not to the Brigade and A., will try to speed it up.The lorry driver: “Why don’t they let people get on with their lives?”The owner of the burnt out vehicle asks us if he can complain to the police and where he can do so.9:35 a.m.They receive permission to cross. In spite of this the older Palestinian is called over to the soldier, together with the driver who translates, and told that although he has a permit to enter Nablus when he wants to come back to Nablus he will not be able to do so without a permit. The man, who was born in and lives in Nablus (Beit Dagan) works in Huwwara and lives in Nablus according to his address.We took the man’s details before he left so that we can let him know where he can lodge a complaint. We called Naomi L., who directed us to Yehudit of ‘Yesh Din’. Yehudit, who had heard of the arson attack from the police, put the pieces together and even got back to us to say that the matter is being dealt with and ‘Yesh Din’ will assist the complainant.Beit Furiq9:55 a.m.No queues. A family with children crosses.Huwwara roadblock10:10 a.m.Males between the ages of 18 – 25 are not permitted to cross. About twenty men and a woman are queuing. There are 12 soldiers at the roadblock. A military police officer indicates where we are allowed to stand (we are not permitted to cross the turnstiles).There are two queues. One of them is humanitarian for women and elderly men who are not suspicious.Two female soldiers are in the transparent examination booth. The Palestinians plod along in front of them, required to remove jackets, to expose their stomachs and to open belts.An elderly woman limping along with a walking stick walks from south to north on the lane bypassing the roadblock. A soldier requests a terrible thing, permission for her to go straight along the road. It is agreed.Some of the women who cross relatively quickly through the humanitarian queue have to wait for the men who have come with them. After they have crossed they have to wait the same amount of time it takes for the men to cross, but in the sun.10:30 a.m.A soldier shouts at a Palestinian with a cart who moves the loads of those crossing the roadblock. Because of the loud shouting we go back to the roadblock. “When you are told to stop you stop. Even if the cart is empty, when I say stop you stop, understand?” The young man takes it submissively and afterwards says that he has to keep his job. He has been at the roadblock for four years. He says that during the last two weeks “the soldiers are making problems. They even make me raise my shirt for inspection. I have been here for four years and they haven’t caught me with anything. Yesterday they only let one person through every half hour. Because of the pressure, only one every half hour. It’s because of the new soldiers”. He returns to his work.10:45 a.m.On our way back we pass by Za’atra – there is not even one car.