'Anabta, Deir Sharaf, Huwwara, Irtah (Sha'ar Efrayim), Sun 21.3.10, Afternoon
Tapuach Zaatara Junction Checkpoint 14:50
About 40 cars waiting to be checked coming from Nablus, but moving.
In Huwwara village we learn of the killing of two boys from Awarta a few hours ago.
Our conversants did not know what we had later found out from Israeli media, that the killers were soldiers, not settlers. Nor did they know details, the horror was specified only later.
As for the previous day’s victim, as we did not know, we passed through Burin village to look for Ahmad, our sweets vender boy for whom friends on the net had expressed their concern, and found his father. He informed us that Ahmad is fine, and that the victim (meanwhile we have learned there were two) was not from Burin but from Iraq Burin.
Huwwara Checkpoint 15:30
And after this, we arrive at the checkpoint and spring is glorious and boys are being murdered day after day (is there a new ambitious battalion commander around?).
The checkpoint commander, as usual, was quick to come by and try to move us back. Unlike his colleagues he even agreed to explain why – we might find ourselves in the midst of crossfire in case the terrorist shows up. After we assured him that when this happens, we shall be very agile, hop over the concrete ledge next to where we stand and take shelter in the ‘pen’ that once, eons ago, held the detainees
at the original pedestrian checkpoint, he left us in peace.
A sniffer dog was present; traffic moved freely.
16:00 At the turnoff from Huwwara road to Yitzhar road, a Border Patrol jeep and two men seen checking a car and driver. Lots of ambulances on the roads – Palestinian and one army ambulance – and lots of army vehicles seen on the roads. Other than that, the looks of a bucolic idyll…
Jit junction – both army and police seen, no cars held up.
Deir Sharaf Checkpoint 16:15
Unmanned.
Yrtah (Efrayim) Checkpoint 16:45
The outside gate of the compound is closed to vehicles. We were told and also saw several prefab structures waiting to be installed. Upgrades galore. We were reminded of the flower pots at Huwwara pedestrian checkpoint a moment before it was suddenly shut down.
Workers move in swiftly, no waiting outside the entry turnstile. From afar we see them going through to the other side so obviously they are not being held up inside.
17:00 on our way home to Israel.