Beit Furik, Huwwara, Za'tara (Tapuah), Wed 16.4.08, Afternoon
A stone barricade has been put up besides the iron blockage and this is not the first time. The drivers did not sit as near as usual so we could not question them.
Marda is open.
14:40 - At the crossroads of Za'tara/Tapuach next to the sign which Millet likes "Kingdom of animals" is a soldier in a makeshift seat of army sacks and a red umbrellas watching with his rifle pointed at the road.
Karin photographs him though he does not like this and tries to hide behind the thin pole of the umbrella and asks her why she is photographing him. Karin tries to explain to him that it is a nice photo. Go and explain to him that there is something about his sitting next to the sign with his rifle which says something.
15.00 At Huwwara only two checking areas are working but there is no great pressure. A dog which seems exhausted is lying there and bothering people. The soldiers do not know whose dog is it and Karin photographs him too...maybe he also does not like being photographed at the checkpoint.
At 15.15 another checking area is opened. A man tells us that his cousin has a photocopy of a new ID and passport and the soldiers are checking him outside the checking areas. The man says he has been waiting for him for two hours and now it seems that his cousin has been sent to the back of the line. When he comes to the front he is sent away. We asked the captain but he cannot help. This is the fourth time that the man has come without his ID and only with his passport though he knows this is against the rules. In the past they have given in a few times. We understood that there was nothing we could do to help.
A man comes and says he had a work accident in Ariel and his hand is now in plaster which was put on in Nablus. When they took the plaster off the hand did not heal properly as the hospital in Nablus had not given him the proper treatment. He has a document from the national security saying that they would pay for his treatment. He had sent a fax to Beilinson and not received a reply and he also does not have an entry permit. Millet phones Naomi and gets the phone number of the Arab doctors of Doctors for Human Rights. She phones a doctor by the name of Salah and lets the man speak to him and make an appointment for Saturday.
16.15 Beit Furik.
Few pedestrians and only 3 cars which pass fairly quickly. At Awarta and other villages we saw no blockages.
At 17.00 the owner of a bakery who is a security refused asks us to find out if he can work in a bakery in Israel which has asked for him. We phone Nadim to translate for us and he does so willingly. Karin gives him the phone number so that he can go on helping the man.
A jeep with border police stops a car and the driver stands outside with the passengers in the car. We ask the soldiers what the problem is and they answered most unwillingly. There is no problem. They are just doing their work. We asked the driver and he also said there was no problem and this while standing next to the soldiers.
17.43 The crossroads of Za'tara/Tapuach.
We stand in the Palestinian line which exits Nablus and 5 cars and a truck in front of us. Some time later we go to the "fast" lane of the settlers and go on understanding how difficult the waiting is and how little patience one has when one does not have the yellow number plats and how convenient it is to have an Israeli vehicle.