Deir Sharaf, Huwwara, Jit, Za'tara (Tapuah), Thu 18.3.10, Afternoon
Translator: Charles K.
In general:
No closure today. All the checkpoints are manned by Border Police soldiers.
14:32 Deir Sharaf/Barrels checkpoint –
Not manned. But an army command car appeared on the new road to Shavei Shomron.
Question: Is Route 60, which Palestinians used to be able to use to reach Jenin, now closed?
And if so – does anyone know whether there are plans to open it?
15:07 Jit junction – Two Border Police jeeps by the side of the road. They’re not stopping traffic.
15:22 Huwwara checkpoint –
Heavy traffic. Trucks from Nablus are sent back, to the Awarta checkpoint.
From time to time a vehicle leaving Nablus is inspected and a line of waiting vehicles forms.
16:05 Beita –
At the entrance to the village (in the direction of the wholesale market), a Border Police vehicle checkpoint. People say that it was a “balagan” here yesterday. Locals threw rocks and Molotov cocktails. From time to time, the Border Police stop vehicles entering or leaving Beita.
On the way to Za’tara we again see grafitti, “Blessed be he who did not make me a Gentile,” on the side of a house.
16:18 Za’tara checkpoint
A line of 22 vehicles from Nablus wait for some sign from the soldiers in the inspection booths.
There isn’t any, and they don’t know whether or not to go through.
Four vehicles detained near the intersection. Two remain by the time we park. Four young Palestinian men are detained there, next to the cars, waiting in the bitter cold for their IDs to be inspected.
The driver says that each time his ID number comes up, and each time he’s detained.
An elderly Palestinian sits on the ground. He’s also waiting to be inspected; he’s a released prisoner whose ID wasn’t released with him. After being checked, all the detainees are released to go on their way. Did our appearance speed things up?
16:46 The entrance to Zeita-Jamma’in is blocked, as usual.