Shavei Shomron, Beit Iba. Sunday, 28.8.05, PMObservers: Lee D., Susan L. (reporting)SummaryFollowing the disengagement from Gaza, Southern Command’s chief psychologist, Major Hagai Braude, was asked by Ha’aretz’s Lili Galili whether the soldiers would carry the same sensitivity and empathy that they learned to show toward the settlers over to their future encounters with the Palestinian civilians. “The question entails the assumption that there is contrary behavior. I beg to differ. I think all our soldiers are humane.” Well, MachsomWatchers could show Major Braude a very different reality. What is particularly distressing is that there appears to have been no spill over from the often exemplary and humane behavior manifested by the army such a short while ago — at least with the present unit at Beit Iba which is particularly obnoxious.14:30 SarraThe fluorescent “no enterance” painted on the boulders at the entrance is no more. Instead a metal barrier arm and the usual red sign uninviting Israelis to enter.14:40 Shavei ShomronNear the entrance to the settlement, Rte. 60 has coils of concertina razor wire, masses of it. It leans against the steep banks at the sides of the road, allowing one to peek through to the tall dried summer flowers on the hillside beyond. Would have made a great photo! No bulldozer at the settlement gate, as two weeks ago, but a fully manned checkpoint. There’s a new, clean flag above the base, and two officers, emerging from a white, non military pick-up truck, inform us that this is now a “sterile” area. There is, in fact, as settler car, still beribboned in orange, standing by the checkpoint, as well as a furniture truck similarly bedecked in orange. The checkpoint, we’re told, is closed to all. Both Palestinians and settlers have to make their journey along other routes….14:50 Beit IbaAt the carpentry shop, we hear a radio, broadcasting a program in English: from Al-Najah University, we’re told, where an American visitor tells his interlocutor of the warm hospitality he’s receiving in the Palestinian Authority. The parking lot outside the carpentry workshop is almost empty, not many taxis, only the permanent drink vendors at work. 15:15 At the checkpost itself, the dirty flag no longer flaps in the faces of Palestinians being checked. It’s hung above their heads. An older man is detained. We ask questions, receive no real answers, and he’s released soon after our arrival.The turnstiles are not working, haven’t been working for about 15 minutes, we’re told. Coming from Nablus, people move towards the checkpost in the humanitarian line, in full sun, men, women and children together. Happily, at this time, there are not many people. But buses approach, and everyone is made to disembark, so the line gets longer and longer.Z. is the soldier in charge of the checkpoint, but deigns only to tell us that his name is “Soldier.” We learn his name from O., a DCO representative with whom we’re not familiar, and who tells us that he’s here only for the day, and “this is about the worst group of soldiers” he’s experienced. Z. and his sidekick stand at the compound at the checkpost calling loudly to the soldiers in the tower above or shouting at the Palestinians while two soldiers work in desultory fashion inside the concrete “position.” 15:50 A soldier now fiddles with the generator above, tries the door handle of the misnamed “humanitarian post” above us, shouts to his mates to see if the electricity has come on: it hasn’t. Z’s sidekick shouts to a man stumbling through the checkpoint, clearly mentally challenged. We go over to the soldier, asking whether he doesn’t see that the man is sick. Z. comes over too, reprimands us, tells us not to talk to soldiers. O., the DCO representative, observes all and comments to us about the soldiers’ behavior, but is unable, it seems to modify it.16:00 The siren of an ambulance is heard. It’s standing still at the vehicle checking post. Why would the siren and then the loudspeaker be used if the ambulance is stationary? We go over there and find out that the two soldiers there are “having fun.” They try out the siren and the loudspeaker, not once with one ambulance but with another ambulance too. We complain. The soldier in charge of the checkpost now comes over, slightly worried. It doesn’t happen again.Meanwhile, the soldiers at the Qusin junction become more and more unpleasant. They tell us that they’re soldiers of Israel, we tell them we’re citizens of the same country. “We’re the boss they tell us” (more or less in unison). A young man is pulled from a clean, brand new truck. His permit has run out. He’s been abroad, can’t get a new one without going through the checkpost. The usual Catch 22 situation. We call O. over to problem-solve this one. The soldiers who’ve pulled him out of his van ask him why he doesn’t set up a shop at the checkpost (they make him pull the tarpaulin off: the truck is filled with snacks, nuts, etc.). Just then the overall commander of the checkpoint, an Arabic speaking lieutenant, in an unusually smart uniform, arrives in a jeep (we wonder silently if O. has called him). It’s clear that Z. tells him that we’re bothering the soldiers. It’s clear that no notice is taken. 16:30 The commander is still trying to problem solve two cases, one of a mini bus, the other of the snack filled truck. A powwow is held: the commander, the soldier in charge of the checkpost and the DCO representative. The bus driver walks over to the two obnoxious soldiers who throw him his keys, shout something as a parting shot, a nod to us, and he’s finally off on his way to Nablus.Another ambulance. This time the soldier in charge of the checkpost inspects silently, the two obnoxious ones stand and stare.16:45 The young man with the smart pickup truck and its snacks is allowed to go to Qesin, stop his van there and take a taxi to get his permit. Problem solved – for a while. End of a dreadful shift at Beit Iba with a foul atmosphere.16:50 Rolling checkpoint at the junction with Beit Iba and road leading to Jit, checking quite quick.16:55 Anabta Just a blue police jeep on the road not far from the junction. No army in sight. But, once again, coils and coils of razor wire along the roadway to the barrier.