'Atara, Beit Furik, Huwwara, Za'tara (Tapuah), Sat 15.11.08, Morning

Translator:  Charles K.

7:00 - 12:00

Atara/Bir Zeit: The checkpoint is operating, many cars going to Ramallah.  Cars sampled to be inspected.

Za'tara/Tapuach: 
5 cars leaving Nablus to the south.  From west to east is empty.  One bus being inspected in the parking lot.

Huwwara: 
Active pedestrian traffic in both directions.  Passage is rapid and smooth.  But the vehicle line south from Nablus is slow.  Soldiers are using the x-ray truck to rest, the toilet has "disappeared," and the central booth has also "moved" to the new checkpoint that's supposed to open this week.

Beit Furik: 
The checkpoint isn't crowded, and traffic flows freely.  Cars also flow through. 
The sign from Women in Blue and White hangs "gloriously" on a booth, at a "safe" distance from us. 
We complained to the humanitarian center - even though we knew there wasn't any point - and we heard the soldier from the center phone the soldiers at the checkpoint and demand they remove it. 
Their reply was, "we'll put it somewhere else."  The coffee shop is closed - but a taxi driver was happy to join us in our "picnic."

Huwwara: 
The humanitarian line is very long, and the soldier in charge stops checking every five minutes "to rest." 
We ran into Z., the DCO representative, and complained about the long line and about the sign at Beit Furik.  He intervened and the line disappeared as if it had never existed. 
He promised to take care of removing the sign at Beit Furik - we should follow that up.