Awarta, Beit Furik, Huwwara, Za'tara (Tapuah), Mon 31.12.07, Morning

Translation: Ruth F.

"In dark of" (instead of in light of) the last reports from Beit Furik, we had decided to arrive there as early as 6 o'clock.
 

5:50 Za'tara-
The checkpoint to Tulcarem wasn't open yet. At the CP there was one lane with three cars in line. The soldiers wouldn't talk to us. There weren't any checkpoints at Beita and Burin.
 

6:10 Beit Furik
Few people were in line and they passed quickly. 3-4 cars were in line at the parking lot. the sodliers inspected the cars and the ID very thoroughly (the driver had to step out of the vehicle and come towards the soldiers, there he was to hand over his ID, take his top of- when the ID was given back he had to bring his vehicle and then It was checked). But in spite of everything it was done quickly- the inspection itself didn't take more then 2-3 minutes for each car. It was even preformed very courteously, but during the time we were there the soldiers took long brakes which cause the people to wait longer. Among the reasons for this: the inspections of the vehicles was preformed only from one side, an armed military vehicle had arrived and the soldier in it started a conversation with the checkpoint soldiers, ext...
The checkpoint commander asked that we stand behind the white line and from both sides of the road, so that he could "control the post with his eyes". He said he didn't have enough soldiers to open the checkpoint to both directions on the same time (the reason for the long brakes).
He helped a bus driver whose ID had been mistakenly forgotten at the checkpoint on the night before.
There was a driver there who said that his new license, that was to insure him three months of free passage at the area, had been confiscated from him on the day before at Huwwara, the soldiers said it was fake.
Miki made inquiries on this subject. 

This is what she learned: " R., from the DCO, told me that he had seen the permit and that it was fake. I told him that the young man gave the impression that he was reliable and that I think he wasn't lying to us, he told me something i didn't know- he said that the man had probably paid money for the issuing of the permit or so that the issuing be done faster, and that person had fakes it- that's what the commander said".
Later, the commander at Huwwara told us that the license was a fake and explained to us how they make it.
 

6:50 Huwwara
There were few cars at the parking lot. An x-ray machine. No dogs. The cars entered and exited rather quickly. There were many people in the line to exit Nablus-about 40. The line for the elderly and women was moving rather fast, and the other line was also moving in a reasonable pace. There were no detainees. The soldiers seemed to be fair with those passing.

7:25 Beit Fuirk
When we arrived there were 5-6 cars, for a moment it seemed that everything was going fine, and then suddenly there was a very long delay due to a vehicle that had to be moved from one side to the other, afterwards the traffic was moving again- and then another long delay. The reason:  a young handcuffed man, that had his eyes coved by a piece of cloth, was brought to the checkpoint and left in the cell by the concrete bricks. The commander said that a different company had found him trying to pass a road that is, as we call it, "for whites only". All the soldiers gathered around him, and by the time they got back to their posts, the line had become longer. We timed the cars there, the drivers had to wait for about 25-30 minutes and by then there were 13-15 cars. We asked that R. help organizing the passage.
Miki tried helping a man who's son was arrested by the army on the day before, he had nothing with him. She didn't have much success.  They said that he could send him clothes through international organizations.
And here is her new briefing:
"R. told me that at the detention cell at Huwwara they gave the inmates clothes, food, equipment to warm themselves and even cigarettes. If the DCO agrees to transfer the clothes, there will be no problems. I hope the father talked to the Red Cross. Tomorrow I'll try calling the father to find out what's new. 

8:50- Awarta
No cars were trying to enter Nablus, three were standing in line to exit.

9:00- Huwwara
The parking lot was packed and crowded. There were stands with food and drinks. When we have just arrived there was many people in the line at the exit of Nablus- over 50 people, but the pace in which the lines move was reasonable. When we left, an hour later, there were about 20 people in line.
The cars that entered Nablus could enter with out any delays, for those exiting it took a little longer because of a 3-4 minute inspection. There were no dogs. Three young men were detained, they were rather frightened, each one of them was taken on his own for an inspection by the toilets that was near what is called "The Humanitarian Post", they had their IDs checked and their coats were pull up. It was done behind a jeep that had no shield. First they were in it and later they went into a room, who's door faces the both, there they were all interrogated, 10-15 minutes for each one of them. The interrogation was preformed by a man who wasn't wearing a uniform.  We think they were trying to make them their informants. 

10:10 Za'tara
There was a line of about 2-3 cars. There were no cars at the checkpoint on the other side.

Marda- the passage was open, Zeita was still blocked by cement blocks.