Huwwara, Wed 10.9.08, Afternoon

 Natanya translating.

14.05 Za'tara - 2-3 cars waiting at the CP.

14.13 Huwwara -  
The checkpoint is packed.
One detainee since 13.30.The commander, Itai, says he tried to slip out of Nablus through the turnstile at the entrance and was freed 3 hours later at 16.30.
The commander was polite and said that there had been a lot of pressure that day because of the incident in the morning. Careful checking and pressure also in the humanitarian lane.
Time of waiting becomes shorter from 3 hours to one and a half. The waiting period in the humanitarian line is an hour to an hour and a half.
The older women who are fasting and those who are pregnant come out exhausted and pale, some of them have to be supported. It is very hot. The checkpoint is tense and every now and again there are waves of shouting.
15.10 - 15.15    9 cars wait for a long time at the entrance to Nablus. Itai says that there is a change of shift at the post and they have to wait for a soldier to come back and for the meantime the road is blocked.
At the house behind the "humanitarian spot" the secret service takes young men who have undergone a careful body search to speak to them, probably trying to enlist collaborators.
15.20 Another man is caught in front of our very eyes trying to slip through. He had also tried to get through the turnstile at the entrance to Nablus. 3 angry soldier catch him and take him to the isolation.
15.30 Another man tries to slip through and the soldiers run to the checkpoint and catch him and a third man is taken to the isolation. The detainees complain that the handcuffs are too tight and that they are dying and the commander checks. The complaints stop.
16.00 We leave the checkpoint where there is still great pressure.
Our hearts are heavy and we feel hopeless.