Beit Furik, Huwwara, Shomron Crossing, Za'tara (Tapuah), Wed 23.6.10, Morning
Translation: Suzanne O.
The 'classic' route
Azun Atma
7:30 a.m
2 children with jugs offer us coffee. A group of labourers await transport to their work. A soldier tells us that they opened the roadblock at 4:00 a.m. It is now quiet and only a few pedestrians cross the roadblock.
Sha'ar Shomron
7:45 a.m.
The traffic flows and there are no queues.
7:55 a.m.
As we continue along Road 5 there is a police barrier. The reason is not clear to us. The traffic flows and we drive on.
On the right the barrier to Kfar Marda is open and on the left the barrier to Jemayn, which was always closed, is open.
Za'atra/Tapuach Junction
8:15 a.m.
There is no queue and the traffic flows. There is one checkpoint and the inspections are random. When I take a photograph a soldier informs me that photography is not permitted. Ofra shows a document confirming that we are allowed to photograph. It is hard to convince the soldiers and they contact the commander. We leave.
8:30 a.m.
We drive through Huwwara village. Only some of the shops are open, however, there are many cars on the road.
We turn right to Beit Furiq. At Awarta roadblock (for goods only) the soldiers do not let us cross. We ask them the name of the village nearby but they do not know it.
9:00 a.m.
We arrive at Beit Furiq via a lovely, winding road. A sole soldier peeps through the window of a pillbox.
We continue to Huwwara roadblock. The traffic flows with no problems. There are 4 soldiers and a dog at the roadblock. When soldiers see me taking photographs they approach and ask us not to pass the yellow barrier. "There you can do anything...", a soldier tells us.
9:15 a.m.
We drive back via Road 60. At the junction there is a jeep and two soldiers. As we drive along, on the left there are two more soldiers standing at the entrance to a dirt road with no signpost.
9:30 a.m.
At the left turn to Road 5066 there are no labourers at the entrance to the roadblock to Hares.
We drive home via Sha'ar Shomron.