'Awarta, Huwwara, Za'tara (Tapuah), יום א' 10.5.09, בוקר

Translation:  Suzanne O.

Za'atra

8:00 a.m. 

There is one car from the west and 6 from the north.

Huwwara

8:15 a.m. 

Just a few people at the turnstiles; they cross quickly.

The traffic is heavy in the direction of Nablus; many of those entering the town are women - students, mothers with small children in their arms.

There are 5 vehicles in the queue to leave Nablus.

During the whole of our stay there it was very quiet.  People in the car park whom we asked how things are, said: OK. 

The 'OK' sounded like a kind of acceptance of their miserable lives which have become routine, without eruptions.

Awarta

9:50 a.m. 

There are 4 cars in the queue.  They are held up for a number of seconds by the soldier carrying out inspections as he asks them a question or two, and they drive on without being checked.

10:00 a.m.

We left.

Beita

11:00 a.m. 

As usual, there is a Border Police jeep at the entrance to the village.

We go into the village.  A group of people whom we meet complain to us about the great difficulty they have to endure to get into Israel to work.  We stand before them, in shame, helpless.