Beit Iba 1/3/2004 Watchers: Ruthy K., Micky S., Miri K., Noya A., Aliya S., Naomi L., Maya M., Dina M., Maya K. (reporter) A very bad situation at the checkpoint which was close to a real explosion in the first hour, although later things cooled down. We divided into teams to cover Yalla (!), Sarra, and Shavei Shomron. 13:00. When we reached the checkpoint there were about 20 people standing at the western end (i.e. for those crossing towards Nablus) and about 100–150 at the eastern end (those coming from the Nablus direction). All of them were bitter and angry. The soldiers were allowing the women through, but the men, including the elderly, were being made to wait (some said they had already been there for two hours and more). Things began to get ugly among the waiting men and there was a lot of angry language flying about, some of it turned against the women going through the checkpoint. The men began to push, the soldiers shouted at them to move back. It was very hot and the sun was burning down — a simmering pot about to boil over. It was impossible to have so much as a word with the soldiers, including A., the commander of the checkpoint. They simply looked through us as if we were not there. We called every telephone number, logical or illogical, where we thought we might get some help — the army’s Humanitarian line, the DCO, the army spokesman’s office, Ilan Paz’s secretary etc. Whether it was this that helped — or not — after about an hour the deputy commander of the DCO arrived. It was then that the line from east to west began to move and the whole mess began to unravel. Somewhat later the area company commander, H., arrived on the scene. He said that it was he who had ordered the soldiers not to talk to us, so that their attention not be distracted from what they had to do. We could always ask that he be called over any problem, he said. Unfortunately , we did not take his telephone number and without that we cannot call him because the soldiers aren’t speaking to us. Complicated! We will try to rectify matters next time. There were about a dozen detainees when we arrived. They said that some of them had been there since 07:00 or 08:00 (in other words, five or six hours). They were released between 14:00 and 15:00 and others took their place. Among them, as usual, were some caught on the neighbouring hillsides, and others whose documents were being cross-checked for some reason or other. When we asked the soldiers to let them have some water, we were told there was a water container and they could go and get a drink themselves. The container we were shown was at the end of the line for those coming from the Nablus direction. So would they again have to stand in the dreadful line? Certainly not! But despite this, we decided it was better to let them have our water. When H. appeared, we brought the problem to his attention, and he ordered the soldiers to bring the detainees water. Certainly, we cannot say that the supply of water is adequately catered for. And, as usual, because it is not the “right day”, students are not allowed through; nor are young people (not the right age) and some other “not the right” categories. A young man from Deir Sharaf, just spitting distance from the checkpoint, was not allowed back from Nablus to his home, and a Nablus resident was not allowed to return home from his week’s work in Tulkarm, etc. But it was a good day for the donkeys, for they and their loaded carts went through the checkpoint with no special problems at all. In short: A depressing, frustrating shift. We passed a number of checkpoints on our way, but at Beit Azzun, and at Qalqilya everything was open. Five of us stopped for some 45 minutes at Sarra. There was no checkpoint, and we parked near the village, alongside the three soldiers standing there on guard. Nothing special had happened there and this lit red lights for us about this isolated village. Virtually no one came in or left. According to the soldiers, those who have permits go off to work in the morning and come back at night. This didn’t ring true to us. A teacher came walking out of the village; he looked scared stiff when we approached him to find out what was happening. We let him be and he continued on foot in the direction of Beit Iba. There were also two supply trucks, one with sweets and chocolates. The driver told us he gets to the village two or three times a week. There was also an ice-cream truck. Then a Red Crescent car, with a doctor, came out of the village and we were able to have a long talk with her. She told us that she visits the village three or four times a week and always has a lot of trouble getting there. There are three or four checkpoints to go through en route and it sometimes happens that she cannot get a permit. Everything is very difficult. There are medical problems in the village. Many women are pregnant and some are bleeding, but there are no ultra-sound facilities. There is just one, poorly-stocked pharmacy and one doctor. The doctor we spoke to speaks English and Russian. We gave her the telephone number of Physicians for Human Rights.Despite the objections of the soldiers, M. and R. went a little way into the village to speak to Y.T. whose home was occupied by soldiers some months ago. He claimed that he had not yet received any compensation, and that he cannot work (he makes cheese, but has no permit to get to Jit). He says he does not leave his home because he will not leave his wife and daughters alone with the soldiers so close… According to him, his village has some 4,000 inhabitants and the nearby village of Till some 6,000. The villages are cut off on all sides, and even to the east there is a checkpoint. Almost no one has a permit that allows them on to the road and so they leave in the mornings via the fields and are then caught by the soldiers. And even if they do have a permit to travel to Beit Iba, and even if there should be a taxi available, they have no money for the trip. The village has a few grocery shops and schools. We believe the situation needs a thorough checking out and that it should be brought to the attention of the media. According to Y.T., the village has been cut off for a month. Shavei Shomron. The checkpoint is only open to cars with permits. There was some traffic in the direction of Jenin — a few lories, some private cars and an ambulance. The soldiers totally ignored us. In the parking lot we saw about 20 confiscated lorries and cars, some loaded with cut grass and furniture.On the way back to Beit Iba we spoke to a man from Deir Sharaf, whose car was confiscated three weeks ago and who was due to get it back on 4 March. He said his wife was due to give birth tomorrow and that he had to get her to Nablus and he had no car. I tried all the numbers I had for “doctors” and kept on calling until the evening, but there was no answer. This issue of confiscating cars also has to be investigated.