Huwwara North & South

Huwwara south & north, Sunday, 16.1.2005, AM Observers: Hanna L, Edna L, Irit S, Ditza Y (reporting) Huwwara south 8.00 – Rapid passage to Nablus, no lines. One young man in the pen. He is not a detainee, but his cart, on which he transports people’s parcels, has been confiscated because he moved outside the permitted area. He’s waiting to get it back.8.10 –thanks to our repeated intercessions, the cart was returned to its owner. Four 15-year-olds on school vacation want to go into Nablus, but have no chance, because under-18s can only enter with their fathers. Nadim explains the situation to them but they remain there, hoping.Huwwara north 8.20 – a woman with 4 small children passes the checkpoint and walks towards a minibus at the far end of the taxi parking area. She is carrying the baby and a two-year-old. I take the two-year-old in order to help her and ask myself again if it’s strictly necessary for people to have to walk 700-800 meters, particularly the old people, the sick and the mothers.8.30 – few people going through. One detainee from Balata without an exit permit. He is being detained and not sent back to Nablus because the commander thinks his uncle is a terrorist.9.00 – 8 cars and trucks at the exit from Nablus. The soldiers say its because the checking of a truck was particularly length. We stand beyond the checking position in the Nablus direction9.10 – the young man from Balata is released but forced to turn back as as 2 other detainees who have just arrived. Another detainee arrived and was still there when we left.9.25 – Huwwara south4 detainees, released when we arrive. Another detainee waits 5 minutes in the pen. Lively pedestrian traffic, but passage is rapid9.30 – we left.