Awarta, Beit Furik, Burin (Yitzhar), Huwwara, Za'tara (Tapuah), Thu 21.2.08, Morning
Translation: Rachel B.
"The sun shone, the almond tree flowered..." and the checkpoints are still there.
Finally, the Golani soldiers have left us and ... "the Nahal has gone out to the fields."
6:45 AM
There is no security check by the Border Police at the Shomron Gate.
The entrance to Marda is open. The blockade at Zeita continues.
Za'tara/Tapu'ach Junction 7:00 AM
There are 7 cars waiting from the western approach and a very long line from the direction of Huwwara - about 60 cars.
At the checkpoint there are Reserve Duty soldiers and a fair number of female soldiers. Also a dog handler. The "segregation" continues: residents of Tul Karem and Jenin between the ages of 16 and 35 are forbidden to go through, along with those against whom there are specific warnings.
7:20 AM A third processing position is opened.
[Two young men, A. b. A. (24) and N. S. try to go through to Ramallah where they work. But they are sent back because of the segregation.]
All the buses and some of the minibuses are sent to the plaza f to be checked. Every bag is opened for the dog to smell its contents. Luckily it's not raining.
Beita Junction 7:40 AM
There are dozens of soldiers and army vehicles. They are not letting people go into the village and the market has been shut down. The soldiers {say}: "There was some shooting here so we have ‘cleaned out' the area."
Yitzhar/Burin Junction 7:50 AM
There is no checkpoint operating.
At Huwwara:
The Nahal soldiers are much more easy-going than their predecessors. They don't fight with us over the white line. Since the shooting at the bus, there are new procedures - they check the ID cards of anyone going into Nablus.
{At the checkpoint} There is a scanner, a dog handler, and no detainees. The District Coordinating Office Commander arrives and goes to check if there has been a status change in the segregation order.
Awarta 8:10 AM
There are short lines of trucks from both directions. While we stand next to the "café" and wait with Mohamed for oil and olives, a soldier arrives and informs us that we are in "Area A," which is forbidden to Israelis. We promise to leave shortly and he returns to his station. Mohammed says that now the checkpoint is "good."
Beit Furik 8:30 AM
A truck whose driver dared to go up the road that leads to the soldiers' position is waiting on the side as "punishment." (The driver says that it has been more than 3 hours - since 6:30 AM, and the soldier says it's been since 7:30 AM.)
There are a few pedestrians and a line of 12 cars at the exit from the village. The soldiers say they cannot open another processing position.
Huwwara: 9:00 AM
Everything is as is usual. The District Coordinating Office Commander says there is no change in the segregation policy.
In the town of Huwwara things seems to be "business as usual."
By now, most of the soldiers and vehicles have left the entrance to the village of Beita. Those remaining at the spot block the entrance. They say that the military action in the village has not ended yet. They hope that by the afternoon they can open up the junction.
Tapu'ach/Za'tara Junction 9:15 AM
There is no line.
At the Shomron Gate the Border Police is checking people exiting from Israel.