'Awarta, 'Azzun 'Atma, Beit Dajan, Beit Furik, Habla, Huwwara, Za'tara (Tapuah)

 Translation: Bracha Ben-Avraham

Telephone Episode of Machsom Watch: Two Palestinians are Summoned to Court in Israel

No one was willing to deal with the matter at the Eyal Checkpoint, and at the Liaison and Coordination Administration in Israel they were told that they were illegals of the Security Services.  For this reason, they would not receive a permit.  When Pitchiya appealed to Adel she was told that they must try again and again to apply for permits until finally someone would relent and let them come to court.  (Would the court wait?)

13:45 – Habla Checkpoint – At this hour the checkpoint is open for an hour and people are crossing. 

There is a lot of traffic of military vehicles.  A command car is driving towards Kaykilya, and a jeep passes the gas station opposite Izbat Tabib.

14:05 – Azzun – The gate is open and there is no army vehicle parked, but a command car and jeep arrive immediately.  

An army jeep is driving past Punduk' two jeeps are near the village of Burin on Route 60, there are two Israeli police cars near Burin no far from the Huwara Checkpoint, and another army vehicle follows.

14:25 – Huwwara Checkpoint – People are not being checked.  A soldier is guarding next to the bus stop near the settlement of Bracha.  There are banners hanging on the Liaison and Coordination Administration fence at Huwara that read: "We will not surrender to Kerry."

14:30 – The checkpoints at Beit Furik and Beit Dajan are not manned. 

Fathiya read in the "AlIttihad" newspaper that last night settlers from Itamar infiltrated the villages of  Awarta and Yanun and dug up and stole ancient olives trees.  We tried to reach the place by way of Awarta from the east as best we could.  On the way we were warned by Palestinians that settlers were shooting at anyone trying to get there.  At least we were able to photograph the western side of the settlement of Itamar that cannot cannot usually be seen.  The picture shows that there are buildings on the right-hand ridge. 

There is a lot of traffic in the village of Huwwara, many of the cars are army vehicles.

15:50 – Za`atra Checkpoint – The checkpoint itself is empty.  An iron bar closes the entrance to the parking lot.  A soldier is guarding in the position facing the valley. 

On the other hand, a policeman near the hitchhiking station near the settlement is giving a Palestinian driver a ticket.  I have not yet seen the police stop a car belonging to settlers.

16:05 – At the roundabout near Ariel soldiers are holding two Palestinians.  There are a lot of workers here who have returned from a week's work.  There are also soldiers here and there seem to be more than usual.

16:10 – Haris – As usual on Thursdays in the past few weeks there is a command car parked in the olive grove between the village and Route 5.  This junction leads to the Barkan Industrial area.  Soldiers are guarding outside the car near the hitch hiker's station.  

16:15 – Azzun Atma, there are soldiers at the checkpoint but it is not crowded.