Beit Furik, Huwwara, Za'tara (Tapuah), יום ג' 26.8.08, בוקר
Translation: Suzanne O.
Tuesday morning, it's quiet and hot.
Za'atra Junction
There are about 12 cars which appear to cross at a normal speed. There are no detainees and there seems to be no unusual activity. On the way there we didn't see any roadblocks or any particular military traffic. Everything is as bad as usual.
Beit Furiq
It is worth noting that, as we arrived, we were welcomed by an officer with a big smile and asked how we are.
The traffic is very light; pedestrians are indifferent as they go to their day's work and the very few cars cross with no hold ups. What is unusual: a dog handler is present and she sent her dog to inspect the driver's cabin of a van.
After a short while we left and went to see how things are in the ‘café'. It's all fine, as usual, but they reminded us that it would be closed next month because of Ramadan.
Huwwara
There are two detainees. There is no explanation of why they are detained. They were released an hour later; it appears that they had ‘scored a bullseye'. Apart from that the traffic is light. Not many cars cross in either direction. As we arrived there was a hold up because of buses crossing but it had just freed up. The soldiers, to put it mildly, were unfriendly (including the DCO, by the way). When one soldier asked what we do and tried to find out our opinion on the importance of the roadblock, the roadblock commander came over to him and forbade him to talk to us because, "anyway, you can see everything on their website including our photographs".
Although we were not on the receiving end of much affection we must say that the management of the roadblock was totally satisfactory (as far as the general situation can be called ‘satisfactory'). Three lanes were open. When the military policewoman raised her voice the commander immediately went over to her and demanded that there should be no shouting. At some point he also sent her to bring water to the detainees in the cell. Nurit even complimented her and she was very pleased.
The dog handler was not present, however, the x-ray machine was working.