Beit Furik, Beit Iba, Deir Sharaf, Za'tara (Tapuah), Tue 8.12.09, Afternoon

Translator:  Charles K.

 Brukin, 14:45:  The entrance from Route 5 is open. Jama’in, 15:05:  The entrance is closed. Za’tara, 15:10: 
The entry toward Nablus isn’t blocked.  About 15 cars waited at the entrance toward the south.  Traffic flows. Awarta, 15:20: 
We drove to the checkpoint on the road that Palestinian trucks are allowed to use – winding, in poor condition, narrow and difficult.  We wonder what happens when two trucks arrive from opposite directions. Beit Furik, 15:35: 
Unmanned, though there might have been soldiers in the watchtower.  We saw that the army installed earthen barriers and tires for hundreds of meters near the checkpoint, apparently to prevent vehicles from bypassing it. Huwwara checkpoint, 15:45: 
The checkpoint is manned.  Traffic from Nablus flows, and there is no inspection at all of traffic to Nablus.  Suddenly two soldiers arrived and began to inspect cars going toward Nablus – within two minutes a line of 30 cars had formed.  We saw that the soldier held something in his hand – perhaps an ID card.  We spoke with a Palestinian in the parking lot who said that it always happened at this hour, and in half an hour it will be over.  And in fact, at 15:55 the soldiers left and traffic began flowing.  Soon everyone crossed. Jit junction, 16:10:  We continued on Route 55.  Jit junction is closed to traffic next to the village of Sara. Barrels checkpoint, 16:15:  Manned, including a dog and handler, but no inspections. We stopped by the Beit Iba checkpoint – and there’s no checkpoint! 
It’s great to see a dismantled checkpoint…

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