Hawarra

Beit Furik, Hawwara and Sarra, 31 March 2005Watchers: Osnat A., Michal S., Dana S., Dorit L.6:50 a.m. Tapuach Junction. The junction is not busy. The crossing, unlike the last few weeks, is swift.7:10 a.m. Beit FurikThe roadblock is open but empty of traffic going to and fro.7:30 HawwaraAt the pedestrian crossing the traffic is flowing. There is no pressure. At the queue of cars awaiting checks from the direction of Nablus – there are six vehicles. Among the vehicles there are one minibus and three buses. When a group of women and children arrive the D.C.O. representative passes them through by the side.When the roadblocks were brought into operation a number of women soldiers staffed the Hawwara roadblocks, over the past few weeks their numbers have dropped. This week there was just one military policewoman. The rest of the soldiers staffing the roadblock and the checkpoints were soldiers from parachute units.8:30 a.m. Road junction (Road 57 Nablus – Hawwara and Road 60 in the direction of Yitzhar)In the morning there was no roadblock in place but now a snap roadblock has been set up and we have to wait 20 minutes to pass.9:00 a.m. SarraThree barbed wire fences block the entrances and exits to the village at its north western exit.The approach from Jit Junction in front of the concrete blocks that, as usual, block the approach to the village – a fence blocks the way. On the road leading to the village and on the road to Nablus there is a fence but it is partly pushed aside to allow passage. The place appears deserted by soldiers. We wave in the direction of the observation tower but there is no movement.As we were about to leave we suddenly see a group of soldiers coming down from the direction of the tower and approaching us. We stand by the car. Suddenly one of the soldiers stands by the concrete blocks and aims his weapon at us and seems to be in firing position.>br>Have we already said that ‘problems start at the top’? If their commanding officer behaved as he did on Sunday, what can we expect from his subordinates?At any rate, we didn’t wait until the end of the incident and left.9:30 a.m. Tapuach Junction30 vehicles wait to cross from the direction of Hawwara.10:00 a.m. At the border.A short queue of vehicles leaving the occupied territories. Apart from us it appears that they are all settlers. In front of us are cars with men wearing kippot – they pass without stopping. We – five women with a sign reading ‘MachsomWatch’ - are stopped, we are looked at very carefully to see who we are and only then are we allowed to pass.May we all have a safe journey.