Burin: soldiers come down to the center of the village and shoot in the air

13:20 –  Nabi Elias, Azzun – the gate near the roundabout between Azzun, Izbat Tabib and Nabi Elias was closed because of the closure on Azzun - not enabling Azzun inhabitants to exit.

Azzun has been fenced in anew, a watchtower has been erected, posts added, with soldiers holding pointed rifles.

13:30 – two military posts at the entrance and exit.

Jit Junction – entering Nablus through Sara village was closed. At the right turn to the road leading to Havat Gil’ad and Yitzhar  there is a permanent checkpoint now for people entering and exiting and many soldiers. We saw no Palestinian vehicles in the area.

14:00 – Huwara – Like a ghost town, all shops closed except for the bakery. The street was empty of people, only a group of soldiers walking and a jeep patrolling the street. All along the main street were posts of soldiers with pointed guns on both directions. Soldiers were posted on the roof of one of the buildings.

We continued to Huwara Checkpoint – it was closed. We did notice that the old checkpoint was lit up and several military vehicles and soldiers were nearby.

Awarta – the checkpoint near the house north of the road was open, there was vehicle crowding because of the thorough inspections: passengers are ordered down and undergo body checks.

Beit Furik – the checkpoint was open, many soldiers present, and many Palestinian cars waiting for inspection. We didn’t even totally stop our car, on the roadside, when two soldiers ran to us, asked who we were and what we were doing. Chidingly they said we should watch over them too… They asked for our IDs. We gave them, the men asked where we live and when I said Tirah, one of the soldiers said that we were neighbors – he lives in Moshav Porat. Then they took our photos and when we asked why, one of them said “as a souvenir”, and asked us to leave.

Burin – We drove to Abu Asid’s house, located very close to Givat Ronen outpost, very frequently harassed by the settlers. Above the hill near the house, a group of soldiers settles in a house whose owners abandoned it because of settlers harassment. The soldiers give the family no peace, forbid them to go out of the house, even to the yard. They keep watching them with their cameras – the house owners too have placed cameras and CC television. The house looks like a jail with iron doors and three layers of bars on the windows. At night the soldiers turn on laser lighting which disturbs the house owners’ sleep. A real nightmare.

Soldiers come down to the center of the village at night, and shoot in the air. So people are afraid to leave their homes at night. After leaving Abu Asid’s house, we went to the home of our friend Doha – she told us about the olive “harvest” – the entire crop remained unharvested and the season is now over. While we sat there on the porch, we heard booms and shots, and she told us not to be frightened. It was the soldiers who walk around in the center of the village in the evening. We left around 17:00.

18:00 – Doha calls and tells me that the booms we heard from her house came from the nearby village of Madama. A friend from Madama called and told her that the soldiers entered the village, fired, hurled smoke grenades, entered shops, trashed them, closed them, entered homes and brutally threw everything on the ground, arresting 4 youngsters.