Jit Junction, Borin, Huwwara, Beit Furiq, Za’atra

Jit Junction, Borin, Huwwara, Beit Furiq, Za’atra 11 April 2007 Watchers: Tushka K., Chana A. (reporting)Translation: Suzanne O.Remark: because of the joint travel arrangements for the Beit-Iba and the Huwwara shifts we passed by Jit Junction and the report notes the Jit and Borin roadblocks.General: ‘routine occupation’Jit Junction8:07 a.m.There are five cars from the direction of Huwwara/Yitzhar, a soldier points his gun directly at the cars at eye level.From the direction of Beit-Iba there are no cars and neither is the guard post staffed.8:15 a.m.The roadblock at Borin Junction is staffed. There are four vehicles in the queue; the passengers of the bus stand beside it for their documents to be checked.Huwwara8:17 a.m.There are many people entering Nablus.There is one checkpoint for pedestrians and sometimes an additional checkpoint functions when there are women crossing. There are about forty people in the queue.Since the soldiers do not talk to us, on orders (on our arrival one of the soldiers in the vehicle checkpoint came over and welcomed us warmly, but he was immediately called by other soldiers and rebuked), we could not find out on the spot whether there were limitations.Rather than in its usual spot, beside the ‘humanitarian point’, the x-ray machine stands at the end of the inspection lane for pedestrians leaving the town, by the detainees’ hut. Not far from it stand a female soldier (sometimes smoking) and a male one instructing the women leaving to put their packages through the machine. We were unable to see whether the people were forced to return and take their documents from the checkpoint or whether after their packages had gone through the x-ray machine they continued on their way.9:15 a.m. approximatelyWe left in the direction of Beit Furiq.Beit Furiq9:27 a.m.On the road leaving from Beit Furiq some 20 cars are in the queue.There are very few pedestrians entering the town, none leave.We went to the roadblock commander and drew his attention to the quantity of vehicles queuing to leave Beit Furiq. Yes, he is aware of it, explaining that it is because cars are inspected alternately, leaving and entering.Back to Huwwara9:45 a.m.There is a detainee in the detention hut. The detainee is Israeli, wearing a white tracksuit, a marble contractor from Jaljulia bringing money to one of his employees, a resident of Nablus. He has been detained since 9:35 a.m. He entered via a lane, there are no signs on the lane, just handed over the money and, when he tried to return, the soldiers arrested him, took away his I.D. card and sent him to the detention hut. His employee’s wife needs to have surgery. The employee needed the money because he was told that she would not be operated upon until he paid up.9:48 a.m.A female soldier puts a veiled woman into the ‘women’s cubicle’ for inspection. The door closes behind them. The inspection is short and when the women leaves, it can be seen from the side that she is pregnant, one of her coat buttons is undone.9:55 a.m.We left.Za’atra10:03 a.m.The roadblock is still staffed by reservists. Since there are three cars from the direction of Nablus and three cars from the west, and as there is nothing particularly unusual, we do not wait around but return so that we can drive back via Jit.Borin10:12 a.m.The permanent snap roadblock continues to be staffed. The soldiers at the roadblock are ‘creative’ and with the aid of stones they have marked the ‘line’ that the cars have to stop by. Now there are twenty-one vehicles in the queue. It is raining quite heavily and people are forced to wait to be inspected outside of their bus. When we went by they had just started to get back on the bus. We phoned the ‘Humanitarian Centre’, simply to inform them and for it to be noted, and N., says that she will see what can be done but, of course, she doesn’t think and is not sure that anything can be done.10:15 a.m.On Road 60 the obstruction opposite Madma has been removed.Jit Junction10:18 a.m.There are fifteen cars from the direction of Huwara and no cars from the direction of Beit-Iba.