Huwwara South

Huwwara south, Wednesday 9.2.2005 AMObservers: Tushka K., Ilana H. (reporting)We arrived shortly after 8, freezing cold. Eight young men in the detainees area in their teens and twenties, some with IDs and permits. We asked why they were being detained. “Because we have to check.” Some went through at once, some waited an hour.The soldiers greeted us in friendly fashion. We chatted with them and with the detainees without restrictions. In the open area between the south and north checkpoint stood a watch tower covered with camouflage netting. Under it was a concrete barrier with the graffiti “Shalom”. It was evident that previously it had read “Death to the Arabs.” The commander complainted that Machsomwatch members had defaced army property. When I asked who had written “Death to the Arabs” and whether that wasn’t defacing, he replied that he hadn’t seen who did it and couldn’t go looking for them.There were almost no delays in passage of vehicles (3 ambulances and two cars). Pedestrian traffic was flowing and detainees were released after a brief check.