'Awarta, Beit Furik, Huwwara, Za'tara (Tapuah), Mon 22.12.08, Morning
Translation: Ruth F.
In general: A day of routine occupation.
7:10- Za'tara/Tapouah Junction:
The passage was quick, there were no lines. A bus was sent a side for the inspection of its passengers which took 7 minutes.
7:35 Huwwara:
In order to get to the checkpoint from the cab the passengers must watch out from the moving vehicles. It's a dangerous situation since there is no really path for the pedestrians or real parking places for the cars.
We entered the checkpoint from the direction of those coming out and were sent off by a sergeant that waved us off. In retrospect it was a good thing since we were told to stand on the pedestrian path for those entering and found out that we had a view of the inside of the checkpoint. The soldier would allow from time to time for two people to pass and then they would yell at them- Ta'al, Ta'al, so that they pass the turnstiles while they have no idea whether it's open or not. Other then that they were efficient and the passage was quick, no unnecessary lines. The whole time there were two open posts and one
"Humanitarian" line.
There were five vehicles in line to each direction, but they dissolved rather quickly.
The x-ray machine was working. Those heading out had to get out of the car and wait on the other side until the driver is permitted to pass with the car. The trunks of some vehicles were open while all the doors were also open, other vehicles didn't go through such an inspection. At the entrance to Nablus the vehicle passage was almost empty, the soldiers randomly inspected IDs.
Coffee salesmen complained that the army won't let them make a living. The soldier told us that they may only sell things from a tray or anything else that isn't fixed to the ground, they also can't sell from underneath a shed or in any sort of construction.
8:55 Beit Furik
There were no jams. The pedestrian checkpoint was locked. There were no pedestrians since all the vehicles were permitted to pass and there for no one got out of the car. The soldiers said that the checkpoint is only closed between midnight and five AM, we couldn't' confirm this with the residents as they all passed by us quickly with their vehicles.
We tried entering Awarta but there was a checkpoint at the entrance and we couldn't pass. The soldier said that anyone with a license could enter and that transference of merchandise from one truck to the other was being preformed, but the inspections were by the main road and the Israelis had to leave their IDs out side if they wished to enter the lot with their truck. We saw many trucks entering from Awarta and a short line at the exit.
9:20 Huwwara
The destruction of the old checkpoint was done in a tremendous racket. Three soldiers arrived at he entrance to the parking lot with the commander who was a deputy in his rank, they nagged the salesmen and then left since they didn't find any sheds to destructe. The lines were short.
Our friends the Ecumenicists were there said that between 7:00 to 9:15 AM over 3,000 people had passed.
10:10 Za'tara/Tapouah junction Open. There were no lines.