Eliyahu Crossing, Huwwara, Ma'ale Efrayim, Salfit, Tayasir, Za'tara (Tapuah), Sat 29.10.11, Morning

Natanya translating. .

9.55 Salfit checkpoint.

2 soldiers at the checkpoint. No traffic. A car which arrived going into Salfit passes through immediately without papers being checked.

10.10 The checkpoint at Za’tara/Huwwara

A border police jeep is parked there. We do not see soldiers. There is much traffic. At the southern entrance to the village of Huwwara a police car with a policeman stand with his weapons. He does not stop or delay anyone. In the village life goes on as usual.

10.50 Ma’ale Efrayim checkpoint. No soldiers.

11.12 Hamra/Beqaot checkpoint. 6 soldiers with one female soldier.

From the direction of Nablus, a small truck and on it an enormous load of feed.

The driver and the passenger on the heap show their documents and pass through.

4 cars arrive. The soldier signs to them to pass through and they do so one by one.

11.20 A taxi arrives with 5 passengers who alight. 11.22 they leave with their belts in their hands as usual. The taxi went on and did not wait for them.

11.21 An private car with 4 passengers passes through at 11.23

11.25 A taxi arrives and passes collecting all those waiting.

12.05 Tayasir checkpoint.  2 soldiers in their booth and there is little traffic.

12.40 Hamra/Beqaot. Workers on foot pass through to the west.

One truck passes without being checked.

An ambulance of the Red Cross and two cars pass through.  There are no delays today.

From the west comes a car which is checked by 3 soldiers and passes through immediately.

13.15.Ma’ale Efrayim.  Empty

13.25 At a vantage point over Efrayim is an army jeep with 3 soldiers.  A group of motor cyclists stop to admire the view.

Za’tara/Tapuach checkpoint is empty of soldiers and the jeep that stood there has left.

14.00 Huwwara checkpoint. No soldiers.

14.10 North Huwwara Next to road 55 are border police and their jeep. A small taxi and a truck were stopped and so we stopped too.

3 border police next to the car and one with his weapon drawn.

One passenger has been taken from the car and the other two speak to him.

One of the border police writes down the details of the passengers.

14.22 …….???  Who is on the road goes into the middle and stops another taxi.

A young boy of 11 who was walking in the northerly direction is commanded by the soldiers to cross the road and not to come near (to a closed army area?). The road is very busy and what if he does not know how to cross alone but he does as he is commanded and gets across safely.

14.26 Another taxi is stopped.

14.28 A jeep of the border police arrives, looks at what is happening and goes on in the direction of Huwwara.

14.32The first car is sent on its way after 22 minutes and also the truck.

It seemed to us that this was a routine check so we went on our way.

We passed Yitzhar, Gilad's ranch, Ramat Gilad, Jit, Al Funduq…..no army presence anywhere along the way.

15.00 TheEliyahu crossing.

There was hardly any traffic and we passed through quickly.

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