'Awarta, Beit Furik, Huwwara, Shomron Crossing
So where, actually, is the Oranit barrier?
07.55:Oranit. We are standing opposite a huge metal gate close to the square leading to Oranit. Not far from us, near the square a large vehicle is waiting. After roughly ten minutes we call the DCO to find out when the gate will be opened. We are told that they will find out and inform us soon. We try again and again and receive no answer. A surveillance vehicle passed by and the soldiers could not tell us when it will open. "This is the Military Police`s responsibility, we are only surveillance". Half an hour later we thought of returning to the Hotzei Shomron road but then we met a Palestinian who explained that at present the gate is open a few km. to the North from where we were standing, but the DCO is considering to open the passage at a closer point.
We drove to find the gate. On the way we passed a large number of Palestinians who did not look like agricultural workers, climbing up the hill for about 4 km. in order to reach the Oranit square from the gate. The gate (probably No. 1448) was open. A number of soldiers and a Military Policeman were standing there. We parked near the wall and were immediately ordered, in a hostile manner, to remove the vehicle and leave the area. The soldiers, man and particularly the Military Policeman, refused to answer any questions. According to them, we were forbidden to be there. We asked to see a General`s decree but of course there was no such thing.
As mentioned, most of the people passing out of the gate did not look like agricultural workers. We saw one of them with his donkey on the way to the fields and a smart looking Palestinian vehicle passing through the gate, apparently a VIP.
At the Shomron (Samaritan) gate there is active traffic.
09.55 Zatra/Tapuach: no soldiers in the stations
Yizhar/Burin: no military activity
09:20 Awarta: The yellow arm is still blocking the passage.
09:35 Beit Forik barrier. Two police cars are standing there. We try to find out from a policeman standing in the shade of the barrier tower what brought them there but he wanted to know whether we had stopped long enough at the stop sign when we left Beit Forik.
09:50 Hawara barrier: Nobody is in the barrier tower. Two soldiers are safeguarding the hiking place of the settlers.
On account of the relatively late hour, the Hawara town is very busy. We saw open shops that we had not known of before.
10.00: Zatra/Tapuach: There is no control in the stations. Across the road Magav (?) soldiers are stopping a Palestinian vehicle for inspection.
The Shomron gate: Traffic.