Beit Furik, Huwwara, Za'tara (Tapuah), Wed 30.1.08, Afternoon
Natanya translating.
Crossroads of Za'tara/Tapuach...5 cars to the north.
13.45 Huwwara.
The parking lot is not full and there are few people because of the cold.
2 turnstiles and a waiting period of 20-30 minutes.
The commander, A. asks us to stand behind the red line which is about 3 metres from the white. We refuse and Racheli checks this with H. at the DCO and he knows nothing of this. He sends T. also from the DCO who is at Huwwara and tells the commander that only the white line concerns us. He asks to open another checking post but this does not happen. As said the people have to stand 30 minutes inline in this cold weather with the pouring rain.
15.00 Beit Furik. One car and one man. The freezing cold continues.
At Za'tara are 8 cars.
At the checkpoint at the entrance to Israel we see a handcuffed man at the side of the road. We stop and find that he is an illegal worker evidently mentally disturbed. The soldiers have summoned the police and we phone the humanitarian center. The next day Racheli finds that he was freed at 18.00.