Beit Furik, Huwwara, Za'tara (Tapuah), Mon 17.12.07, Afternoon
Natanya translating.
13.25 - At the hitching post near Ariel there was an armoured car and 5 armed soldiers.
At 1645 there were 3 soldiers only.
Marda was open but Zeita still closed.
Za'tara -
23 cars in both directions and swift passage. The commander says there are no special alerts and people have their IDs checked.
13.55 Checkpoint at Beit Furik.
As soon as we arrived the commander , a sergeant C. Z. shouted at us that we had overdone it and that we were acting with a "small head." We had only got there and already we were getting it. We saw about 20 pedestrians and cars passing without delay. Checking of IDs, baggage compartment.
The commander complains about us on the communication device saying that we were bothering them at their work, causing a commotion and wandering around their legs. Merav films and he tries to stop her with his body. He stops both the car lane and that of the pedestrian and demands that we move off.
People start piling up. Merav phones the humanitarian centre and complains about his behaviour. One of the soldiers shouts at us that people were hurrying at home and to work and because of us were being delayed.
14.05 - We moved back and the commander came to demand that Merav give her name and we in turn demanded that he give his full name. We go behind the white line but he does not open the checkpoint. It takes a few minutes more. The people say they have been waiting an hour. We also see people wanting to enter Nablus being detained. It takes two minutes before the turnstiles are opened.
14.35 Huwwara.
3 lines in the beginning and some people are told to remove their belts and others not. It is not clear to us how it is decided who should do so. A bus stops and the people get down, the dog checks and two minutes later go on their way.2 dogs with their trainers in the area.
A police car arrives with a young man handcuffed who is taken to the isolation. It seems he was caught by the police ( a car thief) but they have been called to another incident and so will use the isolation.
At 16.00 they returned to take him away.
On the way to the isolation the policeman shouts at us to get out of the way and that we are too near. We do not understand as we had not passed the white line. He insists and so we move to a "new white line".
After he left we moved to our original position.
14.40 One lane is cancelled because the soldier guarding the woman soldier has left his post and she cannot check people when unguarded.
15.05 A military policewoman shouts at the Palestinians who are complaining at the length of time they have to wait. "Go back. Go back. You will wait as long as I want you to and if necessary you will wait 4 hours."
A truck has been detained for two hours because it travelled on the Madison road.
15.08 The third line starts again to work as the commander noticed what is happening and angry that the military policewoman did not bring this to his notice before.
A young man says he has been detained two hours.
2 cars are checked at the same time by the dogtrainer.
16.00 The police return to take the man. The delinquent truck after 3 hours goes on its way.
16.30 The entrance to the village of Beita is blocked by an armoured car and a soldier aims his weapons at the cars. We entered the road and then while 5 cars ahead of us want to enter and the same number to leave the soldiers allow them through, first one then the other, Maybe because they saw our car.
16.40 Za'tara 13 cars in both directions.
At the entrance to Marda an armoured car which does not block the way.