'Azzun, Beit Furik, Haris, Huwwara, Za'tara (Tapuah)
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09:00 We left the Rosh Ha’ayin train station. Few cars on Highway 5.
09:30 Hars. Eleven women were already at the club (as well as three considerate toddlers resting quietly in their mothers’ arms). Today’s the second Hebrew lesson. A review of last week’s lesson shows the women learned the new vocabulary words. Today’s lesson is on the alphabet. We were surprised to learn that not all of them knew Hebrew is also written from right to left – we were pleased to show them another way the two languages are connected. At the end of class each woman wrote her name in Hebrew on a sticker.
The circuit:
09:45 We left Hars. Light traffic at Tapuach junction. Two soldiers at the hitchhiking station provide security for many settlers waiting for rides. Two jeeps – army and police – in the parking lot.
10:00 On the way to Huwwara we see an army jeep at the entrance to Beita.
10:10 Huwwara. An accident on the main street involving two Palestinian cars. An army jeep is parked next to them. We don’t see an ambulance; apparently no one was injured. From Huwwara we drive toward Beit Furiq and Beit Dajan. The checkpoints are open at both villages and there’s no military presence.
10:40 Back toward Hars via Einabus, Jama’in, Qira, Kifl Hars. All are quiet. Few people in the streets.
11:00 Return to Hars. The Hebrew lesson is over. We tried to reach Biyan and/or Musa from Izbet Tabib, without success. We drive through Wadi Kana toward Azzun, intending to reach Izbet Tabib. The checkpoint at the entrance to Azzun is open; we drive through the village to the dirt road leading to the barrier of boulders at the entrance. A few cars manage to slip through to leave. But Nadim’s car has an oil leak and we have to return immediately. Two phone conversations with Heidi, a member of the international group, indicate that there haven’t been any noteworthy developments in the village. She’ll be in touch to let us know what’s going on.