Awarta, Beit Furik, Huwwara, Za'tara (Tapuah), Mon 28.1.08, Morning
Marda- Gate open on way there and back
Zeita- Concrete Cubes both ways
6.50 Za'tara( Tapuach)
No cars on the Cp leaing from Tul Karem to Ramalllah
At the Za'tara Cp there were 17-20 cars all throughout our stay there.
Quick checking 1-2 per vehicle
A bus that was told to park in the parking lot- minutes checking of ids, with all the men outside. Women were allowd to stay inside.
7.30-8.25 Beit Furik
Constant flow of people going to Nablus throughout our stay, with quick checking.
No detainees
.
Vehicles- At any given minute there were 20-24 vehicles queuing up to go into Nablus, mostly open vans and lorries with goats and sheep going to the market, which closes at 8.30 according to one of the drivers.
Going out of Nablus while we were there- only two UN vehicles
Only one checking pathway.
Checking of vehicles took around 3-4 minutes, but there were beaks in the continuity of that.
We asked the CP commander to open another checking path, and were rudely answered.
We called twice the DCO asking them to take care of this. R.( at the doctor) and E. were not available on the phone.
8.30 Awarta
No back to back loading
No cars outgoing from Nablus
8-10 lorries going into Nablus. Soldiers polite to both the Palestinians and to us. We asked them to open another checking path, the commander called another soldier to join them and they did this.
8.50-9.35 Huwwara
The X ray machine was there, no checking by a dog, no detainees.
A queue of about 5 vehicles going out of Nablus. Checking takes about 4-5 minutes, because all the passengers' luggage has to be Xrayed.
At any given minute there were 25-30 people on queue to exit Nablus. There were three checking pathways+ one for the elderly and women. All checking very quick, with soldiers polite to the Palestinians.
Upon our arrival we asked the DCO officer, T. to deal with beit Furik problem and he did that.
The commander of the whole sector approached us , and we asked him to take care of the Beit Furik problem, and also commented that the two lavatories at the Cp there were not functioning.
9.50 a flying Cp with border police
immediately after the junction of Burin( Yitzhar) and Huwwara roads. Private cars and cabs with 2-3 passengers were allowed to pass while crowded cabs were asked to wait while Ids were checked. One of the Policemen said it was a routine checking rather than caused by an alert call.
One of the drivers waiting there, coming from Nablus, said to us" soon we shall have CPs between our bed room and our living room".
10.15 Za'tara
no cars at both Cps
Very cold with strong winds blowing.