Beit Furik, Huwwara, Za'tara (Tapuah), Wed 28.10.09, Morning

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Observers: 
Naomi L., Edna K., Chana A. (reporting)
Oct-28-2009
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Morning

Translation:  Suzanne O.


Comments:  Since we have not been out at this time for quite a long time we forgot to go into Azun Atma.

General:  The soldiers are doing policing work but are sure that they are dealing with the safety of citizens like us.

 

Za'atra

6:50 a.m. 

When we arrived there were very few vehicles from the north.  Two checkpoints were open. Reservists were at the roadblock, although one of them identified himself as a regular officer.  A vehicle with no registration plates arrived together with us, accompanied by a military vehicle.  The registration plates (with an Israeli number) were in the boot and the soldiers tried to find a way to replace them on the vehicle.  At the same time a minibus bearing Palestinian number plates was parked on site, held up because it was carrying 10 passengers instead of 8 (illegal, according to the soldiers).  However, a few minutes after we arrived the vehicle, with its passengers, was permitted to continue on its way.

7:07 a.m. 

We left and counted 35 cars queuing from the north.

 

Huwwara

7:15 a.m. 
The inspection of vehicles entering and leaving was sporadic and infrequent.  We noticed that vehicles with Israeli number plates were inspected at the entrance.  While we were there no car was refused entrance.

A conversation which developed with one of the soldiers who tried to prevent us from standing even far from the vehicle checkpoint, gave an insight into what a Palestinian from Borin told us later.

 

Awarta

7:40 a.m. 

The roadblock is staffed.  There are no cars.

 

Beit Furiq

7:50 a.m. 

The roadblock is staffed.  Cars crossing from both directions are not inspected.

Since our impression is that the roadblocks were functioning, even if the soldiers staffing them do not inspect cars, we drove to the Palestinian villages in the area.  We did not come across any Israeli military rolling checkpoints, but met with Palestinians who welcomed us warmly, hoping for an end to the occupation since even the 'easing' is not easy as long as they have to come across an Israeli soldier.  In Borin, when we said that a soldier at Huwwara told us that he is there in order to guard us and that we should be careful, a Palestinian remarked that they want to divide the Jews and the Arabs.

 

Zeita - Jimayin

12:55 p.m

When we drove through we saw something that looked like a bulldozer breaking through and moving the mound of earth that barred the exit from the village to Road No.5.  However, it was not so.  We were wrong.  "What, are you joking?" said the reservist: "This has been closed for a long time".  "So what are you doing?" we asked.  "We went in, did what we had to do and left", said the major who was wandering around.  We cut through to the entrance to Marda and there a taxi driver told us that the army had gone into Jimayin, confiscated equipment from a quarry, sows, and small compressors and they also took away the quarry owner.  We left our telephone number with the driver and asked him to give us the details of the man so that we can find out if we can do anything.  The driver agreed but was also quite scared that the soldiers would notice that he was talking to us.  This is the kind of threat that the occupation brings.  We spoke to Raya about the incident and she too tried to find out details from other sources.

The taxi driver did not get back to us.


1.00 p.m.  Barkan

The slopes of the hill are covered with new plantings (?).