'Awarta, Beit Furik, Burin (Yitzhar), Huwwara, Za'tara (Tapuah), יום ה' 21.5.09, בוקר

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Observers: 
Esti V., and Nava A.
May-21-2009
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Morning

Translation:  Suzanne O.

 

Sha'ar Shomron

6:15 a.m. 

Eastwards there is no inspection at all.  The traffic westwards flows.

The entrance to Marda is open; the barrier to Zeita is in place even though we noticed that the heap of earth is a bit lower.

 

Za'atra/Tapuach Junction

6:55 a.m. 

There are no queues in any direction.

There are no Border Police at the entrance to Beita.

Two Border Police jeeps patrol back and forth at Huwwara so slowly that there is a trail of cars behind them.


Borin/Yitzhar

No one there.

 

Awarta

7:10 a.m. 

There is no queue.

 

Beit Furiq

7:15 a.m. 

The soldiers inspect cars randomly.  During the inspection there is a chaotic build up of cars which is soon sorted out.  The dismantling of the pedestrian roadblock continues.  According to the soldiers the checkpoint will shortly be closed down and only the soldier in the look-out post will remain, to ensure that Palestinians do not use Madison Way.

According to the soldiers the yellow iron barrier near Beit Furiq does not close at night again, only the one near Nablus closes from 10:00 p.m., to 5 a.m.  We ask a naïve question:  if there are no inspections during the day why do they close up at night?  The answer:  those are our orders.  We do not make the rules.

 

Awarta

7:35 a.m. 

There is no queue.

 

Huwwara

7:40 a.m. 

The area of the car inspections looks cleaner than usual.  There is no dog handler and the x-ray machine has been moved nearer to the pedestrian lane.  (This will be easier for them but harder for those with baggage in vehicles.)  We did not see the DCO representative.

Outward bound cars are inspected in one lane but the queue is not very long - about 10 vehicles.  The 1st sergeant explains that the soldiers have gone on a breakfast and prayer break, and as soon as they return he will open another inspection lane.

There is a short queue at the pedestrian roadblock.  Two lanes are open and they function efficiently (one is humanitarian).  After a while another checkpoint is opened and, for some reason, the pace there is much slower.

A young man talks to a soldier near the detainee point.  When he is released he tells us that it happens every day, he shows his document, comes up with the jackpot, is detained and released.

There is no crowding at the turnstile at the entrance to the town.  Taxi drivers chase potential customers along the lane.

In the car park one can enjoy a cup of coffee or tea but there are no stalls selling sewing kit or fruit.

All in all there is a relaxed atmosphere of routine roadblocks.

 

Za'atra

8:30 a.m. 

There is no queue, the traffic flows without inspections.

Zeita and Marda:  no change.