Awarta, Beit Furik, Huwwara, Za'tara (Tapuah), Thu 22.5.08, Morning
Translation: Ruth F.
I meant to write "Today the checkpoint was good", but then an anonymous captain arrived.
6:20- The police wasn't present at Sa'ar Ha'shomron east.
The entrance to Marda was open, the entrance to Zeita was still blocked.
6:40- Za'tara/Tapouah junction:
No cars were waiting from the west and 29 cars were waiting from Huwwara.
The air force reserve soldiers were still there. The atmosphere was to the point and eased. There were no dog trainers. A bus was sent to the lot, its passengers were told to get off and stand in a line under the sun, while their IDs were being inspected. After five minutes they headed on.
There was no activity at Beita junction.
Burin/Yitzhar checkpoint wasn't manned.
7:00- Huwwara-
The Nahal soldiers were still there.
The soldiers had a binocular and there was a dog trainer but there were no detainees. The parking lot was full and the smell of Falafel was everywhere.
P' the commander said that he wasn't there when the Palestinian was killed, a different soldier said that he had seen the explosives on his body with his very eyes, that he was sure that they weren't just cellular phones and earphones.
7:50- Awarta:
There was no line of trucks but there were a number of Palestinian trucks that were unloading in the "back to back" system.
8:10- Beit Furik:
Only two cars were waiting to enter the city and a number of cars were waiting from the other side. There were few pedestrians. The checkpoint commander made sure that we stood far from his checkpoint.
We made a stop at the "Tea House" and the journalist that was with us interviewed in Arabic the drivers that were waiting there.
8:25- Back at Huwwara.
Very thing seemed to be as clam as before. And then we noticed that behind the toilets was a military vehicle and by it stood a Palestinian and a solider. We tried coming near it but the soldier signaled us to stay away. We also saw that at the end of the inspection shed was a group of youngsters waiting. We learned that the soldier standing behind the toilets was some sort of captain (the Palestinians couldn't remember his name), who took them one by one to that corner for a futile conversation (according to the Palestinians). The DCO and the checkpoint commander didn't know what it was all about. They said there was no problem and that soon everyone would be released. The Humanitarian Center didn't have any answers either. Our guest talked to those waiting in Arabic and we couldn't find anything that they had in common, but non of them seemed to be worried, they were only impatient and wanted to head on.
9:40- The last detainee finished his conversation with the captain, he left the checkpoint and so did we.
9:50- Za'tara/Tapouah junction- there were no cars waiting.
As usual at Sha'ar Ha'shomron there were no inspections for those entering Israe