Awarta, Beit Furik, Huwwara, Za'tara (Tapuah), Sun 28.10.07, Morning
Translation: Hanna K.
7:25 Zeita:
The gate CP for the passage of cars is active.
7:35 Za'tara:
20 vehicles coming from the west to the east are waiting.
There is a long queue of cars heading south. There are two checking posts. The checking is rather slow. Palestinians who stand near the checking post tell us that they have been waiting one hour in the queue.
7:45 - A bus from Tul Karem on its way to Ramallah. Its passengers are told to disembark and the bus is being checked. They tell us that they have been waiting at Jubara for half an hour, and have been waiting here already for an hour and a half. They estimate that the entire adventure: the bus ride plus the CPs, will take about three and a half hours. At least the checking of the bus and the papers was quick and the passengers continued on their way.
A young man was ordered to go up to the observation tower, it turns out that it's for another check. When we turn to the officer we are told "he is being checked, we shall release him immediately", and he is indeed released a few moments later.
8:15 - On our way from the CP we count 83 cars in the queue. We turn to the humanitarian center asking them to see to it that another checking queue be opened at the CP.
8:25 - Awarta:
11 trucks are waiting at the exit from the village. There is no queue of cars entering the village.
8:30 Beit Furik:
7 cars are waiting. Few people at the CP and a few others marching towards it.
8:55 Huwwara:
About 30 people are at the CP. It is quiet. The CP commander, second lieutenant N. comes up to us, and is ready to talk to us and asks us to turn to him with any problem we might encounter. He doesn't limit the area where we are allowed to stand, who does limit the area is a border-policewoman who comes up to us and reminds us firmly of the "regulations" pertaining to our standing at the CP.
09:15 - An elderly woman from Kfar Beita turns to us. Her son, 20 years old, went yesterday for his studies at the university in Nablus, he was supposed to return in the evening to his home, and didn't come. We turn to N. who tries to check the matter. After an investigation he refers her to the DCO, where she would be able to ascertain whether he is detained.
10:00 - A Palestinian was put into the detention cell.
Women whose entire body is covered, are checked by a military policewoman in the solitary confinement cell. The process takes a few seconds.
10:07 - We turn to the commander N. in the matter of the detained person. He replies that the man is being released and indeed he comes out and goes on his way.
10:10 - We leave the CP.
10:50 - Zeita: the gate CP is opened.