Huwwara north &south

Huwwara north and south, Tuesday 8.2.2005 AMObservers: Yael P., Etti P. (reporting) A very cold and wet day. The Beit Iba watch was unable to set out so we did the whole round and saw a little of each place.A large number of unannounced checkpoints along the road: Ariel junction, beyond the Ariel junction on the road, the Tapuah junction, the Yitzhar junction.Huwwara south No detainees. Everyone going through but everyone passing risks not being able to leave because exit from Nablus is totally prohibited. Many people crowded in the checking sleeves trying to decide what to do – take the risk or give up the idea.Huwwara north The checkpoint is closed. About one hundred people standing in the rain at the entry to the checking sleeves waiting for it to open. They appeal to us but there is of course nothing we can do. The dog trainers are still there and a line of cars is waiting near the checkpoint – either waiting for it to open or stuck there and unable to turn around and go back. We can hear an ambulance siren but the vehicle is stuck behind cars and nothing is moving. The commander, a 2nd lieutenant is uptight and shouts at the people waiting outside the checkpoint to move back and then the soldiers order us to move back to the detainees area because there is a red alert about this particular checkpoint and we are in danger. Our protests are to no avail and we are obliged to move back to a spot from which we can scarcely see what is going on. Some of the people pleading with the soldiers have little children with them, but this does not help them.We had no choice but to leave and encountered hail on the way.