Hawwara South

Hawwara south, where a checkpoint used to beSunday, 20.11.05 PMObservers: Judit B., Noa P., Galit G.(reporting)A spontaneous road checkpoint at the northern entrance to Huwara village. A military vehicle stills blocks the road when we reach the spot again on our way home. A similar vehicle blocks another route near Yizhar and at Jit Junction. At all of these sties, no traffic waiting.South ex-CP Huwara 15:20-16:40Occupation routine: 4 Border Patrol men conducting things arbitrarily and gruffly from their stance amid the garbage piles, smoking cigarette. All those who claim that the "ex-CP" is alive and kicking – are absolutely right. These grey-uniformed soldiers are spread out across the passageway and hunt the random pedestrians moving in both directions, including those who have just now passed the checking procedures at the north CP, less than 2 minutes ago.All those summoned are of varying age groups, and are beckoned with a slight finger gesture or barrel of a gun to get in between the two concrete ledges. IDs are processed and the men are let go after about 5, 15 or 20 minutes. At any given moment, 7-8 Palestinians are held up here, all noted down with their names etc. in a thick notebook before being allowed to proceed. Some of them are ordered to lift a coat, bare a belly or a leg, the contents of bags/sacks are checked contemptuously, and then they themselves have to pick up their IDs demonstratively placed on the concrete.We call S. but he's at a meeting. We leave a message. He doesn't get back to us and don't even try again.Vehicles turning right at the junction bound for settlement Alon More don't even bother to slow down and halt before the pedestrian crossing at the junction, but rather honk and cut the pedestrians in their path and speed off with a screech.This was true of settlers' private cars, trucks, army and even police cars.The harassment routine in Huwara continues. The BP soldiers remain standing therelong after we drive on to Beit Furiq. The CP is surrounded with mountains of garbage, food waste in army ration carton packings, empty cigarette packs, plastic bags, and sundry filth. Huwara South stinks.