Huwwara South

Huwwara South, Thursday 24.2.05, PMObservers: Ofra T., Nili P. (reporting)At Tapuach Junction there is a line of about 26 cars – taxis and buses, waiting for inspection. Our telephone inquiry to the DCO is answered that there is a terrorist, so there are very strict inspections there.13:50 – When we enter Huwarra South, a young Palestinian man warns us about what is happening at the northern checkpoint. It took him half an hour to pass. The turnstiles in the south are not functioning. There are 6 soldiers on duty. Everyone is required to undergo inspection at this point, also the women . Inspection of cargo, as usual, in the air or on the ground.14:20 – An officer arrives, a Sargeant, who reorganizes the jobs. He puts the Palestinians through the turnstiles, says there are warnings. He gives orders to the soldiers: they must check all entering from the age of 14 to 25. A couple arrives at the checkpoint. The woman is allowed through, the man is stopped for inspection, afterwards let go on his way. The regular Palestinians have recently been let through outside of the turnstiles, passing on the side. The offier tries to train them to also go through the turnstiles. One of the soldiers releases the older people from the turnstiles.15:00 – the line empties out. Everyone who arrives is sent by the soldier to go around the turnstiles, also the young men. The turnstiles are again not operating. However, the Palestinians arrange themselves on their own in the turnstile line, and then the soldiers signal to them to leave the turnstiles and go over to the side. What a mess! Since there are only a few Palestinians going through the southern checkpoint, we cross over to the north.At the northern checkpoint are soldiers from the Military Police checking the Palestinians. There are long lines at the turnstiles, as well as in the outside "humanitarian" line. Everything is moving slowly, crudely, with shouting and mock organizational exercises. The behavior of the Military Police is exceptionally rude, pushy and inconsiderate. A female Military Police soldier, named Orianne, stands like a jailor in front of the line supposed to be "humanitarian" and gets everyone angry and excited. A family has been standing in line for a very long time: a mother with a baby sleeping in her arms, a boy about 5, and his father. At the inspection, the father explains to the female soldier Orianne that the suitcase which is made of transparent material, sitting at their feet, contains the clothes of the baby and the boy. Orianne kits at the suitcase with her boots. Could it be that these kicks are supposed to be adding to the security of israel? or to do a favor to the Palestinians, that he doesn't have to open it and take out its contents?Another female soldier from the Military Police, at the inspection station, signals to a Palestinian with her finger to move backward, to turn and to lift up his coat, his shirt: all of this with a delicate circular movement of her finger. At the same time, she also demands that he help her in her work by telling the other Palestinians in the turnstile to move backward. A soldier from the MP called Moshe discovers that the Machsomwatch women are not cooperating as he had expected. He speaks to us rudely, tries to shut us up ("shut up", "get out of here"; "ugly", etc.), and to move us away on the excuse that we are "getting on his nerves". When he shouts at the Palestinians, that is normal, but when a Palestinian raises his voice, he is angry that he is raising his voice. He creates unnecessary conflicts with the people waiting for a long time. Once in a while there is random punishment and delay in the lines by the MPs.After a number of phone calls to the DCO, a soldier is sent from there to help, but it doesn't look as though he is successful in dealing with the soldiers from the Military Police.