Awarta, Beit Furik, Burin (Yitzhar), Huwwara, Za'tara (Tapuah), Thu 6.3.08, Morning

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Observers: 
Rachel A., Moran A.
Mar-6-2008
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Morning

Translation: Rachel B.

An ordinary day in the life of the Occupation.   

Marda: 7:00 AM

The road is open. Zeita: as usual the entrance to the village is blocked with cement blocks.

Za'tara/Tapu'ach: 7:05 AM

There is a substantial line of cars coming from the direction of Huwwara.  There are 17 cars in line and 3 stations are operating.  The soldiers, Reserve Duty, are not exactly eager to talk to us and generally ignore us.  When we approach one of the stations one of the soldiers tells us to move away and that if we don't, they will close the station.  We moved away.  We were not able to talk to the checkpoint commander.  It turned out that there were also soldiers posted in the other directions as well - on the road to Huwwara.

Huwwara village: 7:20 AM

In the middle of the village a Border Police Jeep stands with a soldier standing up over the roof and pointing his gun (God know exactly at whom) as if he is about to shoot.

Yitzhar- Burin Junction

The road is open.

Huwwara 7:22 AM

The parking lot is full of people.  The impromptu market is busy. There are a lot of pedestrians coming through to go to Nablus and about 30 people at the checkpoint heading outside of the town.

There are 2 pedestrian stations operating.

Awarta: 7:50 AM

There is one truck in the parking lot and 6-7 trucks in line at the exit from Nablus.  There are about 6 soldiers at the checkpoint.  Altogether, it seems like forces at the checkpoints have been beefed up this morning.

Beit Furik: 8:08 AM

When we arrive we meet two drivers. One of them tells us that he has been waiting an hour and a half already in order to go into Nablus.  There are 30 cars in line, of which 17 are actually lined up and the rest parked along the shoulder while the drivers await their turn.  The driver tells us that yesterday they waited more than two hours at the checkpoint.  B., the coffee peddler, tells us that in the earlier morning hours cars go through really fast and later in the morning the checkpoint becomes much more crowded and harder to get through. 

There are not a lot of pedestrians.  The turnstiles are, evidently, broken so the pedestrians pass through along a side path.  The soldiers (as usual) don't want to talk to us.  Here, too, there are more soldiers on hand than then usual.  As far as we could see, there were not too many cars waiting to go through from the direction of Nablus.

Huwwara: 8:35 AM

There are still a lot of pedestrians heading towards Nablus.  We met a group from IEPP and talked with T. from the District Coordination Office.  He told us that there had been some shooting in Huwwara, in the area of the mosques.

Za'tara/Tapu'ach: 9:10 AM

There are about 25 cars in line from the direction of Huwwara.

Marda and Zeita - same status as when we went through before.