'Azzun 'Atma, Eliyahu Crossing, Huwwara, Za'tara (Tapuah), Thu 7.2.13, Morning
Translator: Hanna K.
The aim of the tour was to demonstrate to the guests the infringement on the freedom of movement of the Palestinians, and thus to illustrate the activity of MachsomWatch.We arrived at the checkpoints at an hour when the number of Palestinians forced to pass through them was low. The winding separation fence and the gates
installed in it, the Palestinian enclaves constricted between the bends or, alternately, the deployment of the settlements on hills and summit above the Palestinian villages are revealed when driving through the territories. But those who don't know the place, whether Israeli or not, cannot understand, without verbal interpretation of the things they see, the deep penetration of the occupation into the area.
09:00 – We began at the Azzun Atma CP on the road leading to the Elkana and Sha'arey Tikva settlements. As mentioned above very few people pass here. We were watching the CP when one of the soldiers claimed that this was a 'military zone'.
So how come the civilians pass here?" Nora asked. 'Yes, this is complicated' the soldier agreed and went away.
We left a few moments later anddrove in the direction of Elkana in order to see the house of Hany Amar, confined between fences, joined to the settlement. We went back to road no. 5 in order to reach the same point almost, as the separation obstruction blocks the road which was once a central traffic artery, and prevents free passage, from the direction of the village of Mes'ha where Hany Amar is resident.
We drove on the winding by-passing road, which also passes by the entrance to the industrial area of Barkan, where, judging by the number plates of the cars parked outside it, many workers in the industrial area are Palestinians, 'for the glory of economic independence' of Israel; we continued through what once was the Karwat Bany Husan CP. On roads on which mainly Palestinians travel the pitfalls are many and there are no margins; we arrived at the end of Mes'ha.
The guests watched the concrete wall which was put up so that it would block from the Amar family the sunlight, but not for the residents of Elkana settlement;They watched the gate which only the Amar family is authorized to enter and leave by; The guests couldn't, of course, believe their eyes and were absolutely amazed when they grasped that the distance from the 'state of Hani Abu Amar' to the Azzunt Atma CP in a straight line is very short. But there is no Palestinian who is allowed to walk on that way.
From there we returned, on the same way we came, to road no. 5 and went to the Za'tara CP. We pointed to the metal arms which, when the so army wishes, they block by them the passage from villages such as Zeita, to the main road.
11:10 Za'tara – on the parking lot the are dogs and women-soldier dog trainers. Palestinian cars travelling from north to south are being checked. When we passed there were three cars in the queue.
12:00 Huwwara CP -the buildings are abandoned, including the 'women's checking cubicle' (the signpost is still there), The fences surrounding them testify to the hundreds and thousands of people who were forced to stand in queue in order to be able to leave Nablus. Today the cars pass without being stopped or checked.
Our guests saw all this, and as they ate falafel and shuarma on the day before at Tel Aviv, they were given the opportunity to learn about the price gaps between Tel Aviv and Huwwara.
When we passed Kedumim settlement we showed them the places where the settlers try to take over the plots; we told them in short the story of the village of Izbat Tabib and the fact that its residents are refugee from the area of today's Ra'anana.
On the way back we passed the Eliyahu passage CP, and there we underwent the checking of ID cards and passports.