Huwwara north & south

Huwwara, Monday, 7.2.2005 AM Observers: Micky P., Tal B., Yudit A. (reporting) Anna (guest). 8.30 – Huwwara north A very cold day, and people only come if they must. Men of 14-25 are barred from passage. The dogs are sniffing objects in the carts and the vehicles. 3 young man are detained for half an hour. After 10 minutes one goes through and the others are sent back. A man is stuck in the turnstile because of an electrical problem. We urge the soldiers to deal with it. After 12 minutes in the freezing cold stuck between the bars, he is released. The soldier apologizes and stresses that the soldiers are not barbarians.Huwwara south The turnstiles are not working and people go round. In the detainees area a woman with a sick two-week old baby, wrapped in blankets. She and her husband are from Jam’in, hurried to take the baby to hospital and forget the mother’s ID at home. The uncle summoned hastily to bring the ID from home has been detained at a checkpoint on the way. We appeal to the soldiers, but they stick to the rules. While Dalia B. was checking, the uncle arrived with the ID and they went through after 20 minutes.Two young women graduates of An-Najah came from Jerusalem (with Israeli IDs) to collect their graduation certificates. They coordinated the journey in advance with the DCO but there nobody knows about it. We contact everyone possible. Meanwhile the checkpoint is empty and the soldiers “treat” the young women with chocolate, waffles and sexist remarks.A woman settler arrives with a pleasant manner and hot soup and, to our mortification, congratulates us on our work. A Palestinian vehicle drives up with an entrance permit, two Swiss nationals working on a joint educational project with the Palestinians, are refused entry. We approached the military unit dealing with foreign nationals who informed them that in order to receive an entry permit, they have to be employees of a humanitarian project.10.30 – The checkpoint is empty. We leave.