Beit Furik, Huwwara, Za'tara (Tapuah), Tue 25.3.08, Morning

Translation: Hanna K.

On our way to Huwwara we did not encounter any outstanding phenomenon. There were no threatening Hummers and no new blocked roads.
At the Za'tara junction there were very few cars (there was quite a number of soldiers who peered suspiciously into our car).

At Beit Furik there were tens of cars in the queue on the hill and some tens of  pedestrians at the CP. There is one checking station. Not one of the soldiers paid any attention to our arrival (to admit the full truth - we too did not really greet them with a "good morning") but as if by miracle, another checking station was opened as if by a magic wand, and in a wink the queue disappeared and within a few moments the car queue too shrunk to zero. The checking was very quick and matter of fact. Everybody passed.

At Huwwara there were very few people and no car was waiting. The pleasant woman-soldier (was her name Olga?) welcomed us with a smile and a greeting and the CP commander too was friendly, relaxed and well mannered. On the spot there was also T. from the DCO  and really and truly the horrible banality proceeded amiably. Most people come out while girding and buttoning and with an indifferent expression. Only one asked again with despair: "when will all this end?" (if somebody knows the answer, let him tell the man). A young man stopped next to us, he apparently very much wanted us to notice him, phoned somebody and told him in fluent Hebrew about all the treasures he had for him. He obviously wanted to enter into conversation with him and of course he intrigued us too - his story was that his brother is married to a Jewess in Israel. Anyway, we asked him to his opinion why so few people pass here and his answer was, as was to be expected, that the people have absolutely no money, "the pockets are empty".

The market is active, it develops and flourishes from week to week.