Beit Furik, Huwwara, Za'tara (Tapuah), Tue 28.10.08, Afternoon

Natanya translating.

A rainy day in the centre but when we got to the checkpoint the rain stopped which was good for those waiting in the shed at Huwwara.
 
14.15 Marda is open.

14.20 Za'tara.
Few cars on either side and we did not stop but went on to Huwwara.

Huwwara.
Here there was one detainee who had been there about half an hour. He said that each day he is stopped and kept for two hours and then freed and he does not know the reason. Inside the turnstiles people were crowded and passed fairly quickly to the other side which causes a slight crowding on the other side of those waiting for their friends and the commander takes the time to send them on with cries of "Yallah, yallah" from time to time. Only two turnstiles are operating and the humanitarian line. The detainee is freed. The commander did not have time to speak to us. We wanted to ask him why the man had been detained. 
15.30 The checkpoint fills up and the rain is coming down. Again only two posts are working.
15.45 Two soldiers with a dog arrive but we do not see any activity.
16.00 We left for Beit Furik.

Beit Furik.
Last week Fatchia was in a shift  and encountered great hostility from the commander about the place were we could stand and therefore we were prepared for more problems. We found a large pole on which  was a sign as to where we could stand. A photo is enclosed.
16.15 We stood in the usual place and not next to the post. And then A. the commander came up to us.
He had not been the commander the previous week, asked us how we were and if there was anything interesting.  There was a pleasant conversation. We asked why everything was being handled so slowly and he said that not enough soldiers were enlisting in the battle units and so there was not enough manpower.
 He wished us a pleasant shift which was a surprise.  Few people and many cars. The checking slow and annoying.
17.00 We left Beit Furik.