'Awarta, Huwwara, Za'tara (Tapuah), Mon 22.6.09, Morning
Huwwara 22 June 2009
Watchers: Tom K., Sna'it G.
Translation: Suzanne O.
7:25 a.m.
There were no detainees
at Za'atra and the traffic flowed swiftly; the queue was more than 5 - 6 cars long during the whole time we were there. A permit for a bus took 10 minutes, an inspection by the dog and dog handler of a commercial vehicle, 'only' the back seats and the wheels, loaded with vegetables took 10 minutes. The young dog was not muzzled.
The roadblock commander insisted that we not stand in the area near to the roadblock, nor on the pavement and not in the relevant part of the car park.
8:00 a.m.
The Awarta DCO is closed - it only opens at 8:30 a.m. There are about 16 people waiting in the shed.
There is almost no traffic at the roadblock.
Huwwara
8:20 a.m.
There is almost no inward traffic, a few people march out - the usual inspection process including removing belts for men. There are no detainees in the cell.
We are ordered to stand on the edge of the concrete lane, covered with wire mesh on all sides, leading to the roadblock. We were shown an order showing that the area is a closed military one (with a sketch showing the shape of the area). They did not want us to take a photograph of it.
The drivers in the half empty car park explained that most people now prefer to go directly by car to and from Nablus.
We both wonder where the 'alternative roadblock' will be set up.
8:45 a.m.
Awarta DCO again - most of those queuing have gone inside, there are quite a lot of cars waiting outside. We could not calculate how long it took.
Just another routine day of occupation.