Awarta, Beit Furik, Huwwara, Za'tara (Tapuah), Thu 10.1.08, Morning

Translation: Maureen A.

This was a short shift, due to the terrible cold and the small number of people at the checkpoints.

7:02     The entrance to Marda is open, the entrance road to Zeita is blocked by huge    concrete blocks. A command-car is stationed opposite the passageway to    Zeita.

7:10     The Tapuach-Za'tara Junction

            It's almost completely empty; 2 - 3 cars are standing at the checkpoint, from     the Huwarra direction and they go through quickly. A bus stops, the           passengers are taken off, in the parking lot, but in less than five minutes they       are allowed to re-enter the bus and it continues on its way. It looks like the soldiers are shortening the process due to the cold.

7:10     Huwwara

            There are practically no pedestrians or vehicles. It's very cold, so there are        relatively few people in the parking lot as well. In the solitary confinement    area we find M. S. , a student at El Najanah in             Nablus, who had been on his way to work at Barkan. He says that he is            stopped every time because he's on the wanted list. The floor of this area is covered with water and it's practically impossible to stand there without             getting your shoes wet. Rachel finds him lying on a kind of high wooden bunk     in the solitary    confinement area. M. says he argued with the soldiers      so he wouldn't have to stand there - and he's there anyway. When we asked             the Checkpoint Commander, he said that the guy was really on the wanted list   and that this time he had really acted violently, so he decided to detain him for           3 hours, authorized by someone or other. When we arrive, M. has             already been detained for 2 hours.  He says he wants to go to the DCO in order            to take care of his issues.

8:05     Beit Furik

            There are 9 cars in line, very few pedestrians. We met Osama, who is once       again working, serving coffee and tea, since he couldn't find work in Nablus.

8:25     We leave Beit Furik

8:30     Awarta

            The parking lot is empty. At the checkpoint there are 5 cars/trucks coming         from Nablus, waiting to be checked. The line moves relatively quickly. 3        trucks are waiting to enter Nablus.

9:04     Tapuach - Za'tara

            There are 5 cars in line; it looks quiet and they are going through quickly. On     the way back, Marda and Zeita are the same as when we passed them earlier.