Beit Furik, Huwwara, Jit, Za'tara (Tapuah), יום ו' 22.8.08, בוקר
Translation: Suzanne O.
Tapuach Junction
8:45 a.m.
There were six cars queuing at the junction in the direction of Nablus.
A Palestinian bus, on its way from Nablus to Bethlehem, was held up and its passengers taken off for inspection. The passengers' baggage was also inspected. The passengers were put in two separate lines; one for men and one for women.
After about a quarter of an hour the passengers' ID cards were returned to them and they got back on the bus. One of the passengers, a young man in his twenties, was detained. The other passengers refused to leave without him and insisted on waiting until he was released. In answer to our question an officer, a reservist with the rank of captain, claimed that the man was "wanted for questioning", and that they had passed his name on to Beit El. We asked why, if that was the case, the man had not been detained at Huwwara and the officer replied, "that's a good question".
The soldiers ordered the passengers to stay on the bus and refused to let some elderly passengers use the toilets. We asked the reservists why the passengers were not permitted to use the facilities and they replied: "It's not a public toilet". The soldiers told us not to come closer and we complained to the officer. The officer told them to take no notice of us.
We approached the detained Palestinian. He told us that he was taking his young wife; they have been married for five months, on a trip to Bethlehem.
At 9:15 a.m. the reservist officer went to the young Palestinian, returned his ID card and told him to report to "Captain Sahar (or Sa'ar) at Huwwara on the following Tuesday. Perhaps, with ‘good luck', a new collaborator has been recruited?
Beit Furiq
9:30 a.m.
On the inner fence a new, incomprehensible, notice has been put up ‘checkpoint - mounted'.
Huwwara
10:00 a.m.
There were two women standing by the x-ray machine, waiting for their bags. We realised that there was a problem with the machine and drew it to the notice of the soldiers. The machine was repaired and the women got their bags back.
Jit Junction - at the entrance to Huwwara
10:20 a.m.
A police car parked at the junction started to stop cars.