Beit Furik, Huwwara, Fri 15.5.09, Morning
Translation: Suzanne O.
Beit Furik
9:10 a.m.
When we arrived two cars were queuing in each direction. One car was sent back. One of the soldiers, with the rank of sergeant, explained that one of the passengers in the car was a Palestinian travelling to Ramallah but he had no permit.
Huwwara
9:30 a.m.
The car park was full of rubbish and there was a strong smell of urine. When we neared the roadblock the commander came over to us, an officer with the rank of 2nd lieutenant, and asked us to move away. We stayed standing behind the area painted red and refused to move further away. We said that we stand in the same place each week and asked him, politely, to leave us alone.
The 2nd lieutenant, whose name we found out was Alex, insisted, said that he is in charge and asked us to move back. He threatened that if we did not obey he would call in the police patrol. A female soldier standing by asked us why we were arguing and said that we are interfering with their work. After a few minutes another 2nd lieutenant arrived and explained that it bothers him if we stand close to the roadblock. We repeated the explanation that we were standing where we are allowed to stand.
At the car terminal we counted 8 cars crossing the roadblock within 15 minutes. One position was staffed by two soldiers. The x-ray machine was working.
A few minutes later the second officer came over to us again, asked us to stand nearer the side of the terminal and explained that actually, at the pedestrian crossing, we are allowed to stand in the position we were standing.
The passengers of a few cars which had crossed the roadblock greeted us cheerfully.