Awarta, Beit Furik, Huwwara, Za'tara (Tapuah), Wed 11.6.08, Morning
Translation: Ruth F.
7:15- On our way: Both of the gates
leading to Marda were open. The gate to Zeita was still closed.
7:23- At Za'tara checkpoint
Three posts were active. The inspection of each car took about five seconds, so the average waiting time for one car was of about 3 minutes. There was a dog trainer at the checkpoint but we didn't see her inspecting the cars.
7:52- Beit Furik-
There wasn't a line. All the cars had to stop at the checkpoint, the driver went over to the soldiers who checked whether his ID number was on the list. The average time (including waiting time) was of about two minutes. The taxi driver said that car passed rather quickly since there weren't many (the PA confiscated about a 2 thousand cars). Five cars pass in half an hour. There were also very few pedestrians.
8:40- Awarta checkpoint was deserted, there was only one truck.
8:45-9:50- Huwwara checkpoint-
There were no detainees. Two posts were open and so was the "humanitarian line". There was dog trainer- the dog sniffed some of the cars.
One car lane was used both for those entering Nablus and those coming out. The car inspection (that didn't include the sniffing) took two minutes. At the pedestrian lane the waiting time was of about 11 minutes, and the inspection itself took one minute.
One person wasn't allowed to enter because the picture on his permit was a blur. After a six minute inspection he was allowed to pass. Those passing took off their belts and emptied their pockets to save time, while buzzing and the words "Yalla" and "Ta'al" were heard all the time.
10:05- There were no lines on either direction at Za'tara.