'Anabta, Beit Furik, Beit Iba, Deir Sharaf, Huwwara, Irtah (Sha'ar Efrayim), Shave Shomron, Za'tara (Tapuah), Sun 20.12.09, Afte

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Observers: 
Judit B., Tal H. (reporting)
Dec-20-2009
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Afternoon

Combined route

PMObservers: Shaar Shomron Checkpoint (entry into the West Bank) 14:40

Not even the usual civilian police car was there for the traffic going into the territories.

 Zaatara Tapuach Junction Checkpoint 15:00

Checking post for traffic traveling from west to east – unmanned.

Traffic from Nablus southbound flows, no detaineesinfo-icon observed.  

Inside Huwwara town/village business as usual including the Border Patrol men and their armored chariots at various spots. Close to Huwwara-Burin-Yizhar road junction, they were checking the passengers of a Palestinian car.

 Beit Furiq Checkpoint 15:30

All the powerful projectors of the compound in spite of daylight, but no soldiers observed. We assume there is army presence inside the observation tower.

 Huwwara Checkpoint 15:40

The Golani Infantry Brigade flags are still waving proudly in the wind. A line of 15 vehicles waits to be allowed through, out of Nablus. The line wanes and waxes depending whether the soldiers question a driver or not, as there is only a single manned checking post. The outgoing lane, incidentally, is wildly pot-holed. The cars rock and sway and bump making their cumbersome way through. The incoming lane is not crowded upon our arrival. Soldiers at this checking post seem to have reached some kind of limit – they are crazily busy ‘singing’.

 

A sniffer dog and its trainer carry out interior car inspections.

Such an inspection takes about ten minutes, each car bearing young males is inspected, a soldier makes them stand at a distance from the vehicle, as usual, and orders them to bare their belly and back and do the old pirouette like way back when at the pedestrian checkpoint. The chewing-gum vendor (one of the twins we are familiar with) is not allowed by the soldiers to cross the compound  and approach us as always, selling us his wares for a pittance and exchanging hearty greetings.

 Haviyyot Checkpoint 16:30

Unmanned.

 Anabta 16:35

No soldiers observed. We suppose the observation tower is manned.

 Yrtach 16:50

As we arrived there was no waiting line – and then a busload of workers arrived, they ran fast towards the turnstile to get through before the crowding begins. To our joy no such crowding occurred, but many of them – while running – told us that our presence is sorely needed there in the morning hours…

 We returned to Israel afte