Azzun Atma, Huwwara, Awarta and Beit Furik 05.05.11 morning
Translator: Suzanne O.
There is a snap roadblock at Beit Furiq – security needs or collective punishment?
Azun Atma
6:30 a.m.
A long queue of labourers (over 70 people) winds round the car park. Each person leaving reports a different waiting time but they all complain about the length of the queue. The whole roadblock is run by female combat soldiers, and military police. Instead of the improvised tent opposite the inspection cube a small concreted tower has been raised with an inflexible female soldier guarding inside.
At Shomron Crossing the civilian police are present at the exit from Israel and a long queue of settlers is at the entrance to it.
The entrances to Marda and Zeita are open.
Za'atra/Tapuach
7:00 a.m.
The Border Police in the positions do not interfere with the flow of traffic. The lookout tower has disappeared from the Menorah roundabout.
Yitzhar/Borin roadblocks
There is no military activity.
Awarta
Unsurprisingly, the yellow barrier still bars the crossing. On the way back we will try to contact the spokesperson of the Central Command again. We have still not got an answer to our letter on the matter from three weeks ago. We didn't get an answer today either. (In the end they will probably write us that the barrier is against the Breslau people and not the Palestinians.)
Beit Furiq
7:20 a.m.
There is no IDF presence at the roadblock. However, at the entrance to the village there is an improvised snap roadblock. Three soldiers have spread out spikes on the road and all the traffic is at a standstill. Very slowly they inspect ID cards and cars wishing to leave the village in the direction of Nablus and do not permit those wishing to enter the village to do so. Tens of cars wait in every direction. The drivers who are far from the roadblocks are unable to understand the meaning of the stoppage and try to overtake. Chaos ensues. We made a number of telephone calls – the humanitarian centre and the DCO – but no one there knows anything about the activity. As Israelis we overtook the whole queue insolently and the soldiers waved us across. In the village we were told that a few nights ago children threw stones at the windscreen of a military vehicle patrolling the roads of the village and shattered it, they believe this is a kind of punishment.
By the time we left the village the soldiers had already disappeared and with them the queues. Perhaps, because we telephoned, someone took the time to find out what was going on there?
Huwwara roadblock
8:00 a.m.
Deserted. Some of the perspex buildings have already fallen down.
In the town Huwwara a new Burger King has opened. A sign of economic peace. Three Border Police vehicles patrol the streets of the town.
Za'atra/Tapuach
8:10 a.m.
The traffic flows unimpeded. There are soldiers in the positions. A military vehicle is parked in the car park.
At Shomron Crossing the inspection at the entrance to Israel was, as usual, superficial.