JUBARA, Tuesday 27 April 2004 AMObservers: Maya M., Lirona, Elinoar (reporting) color=red>A routine morning, within the parameters of “encirclement”, “closure” and the “normal” horrors of the situation. 07:30 — The only people allowed through the checkpoint were lecturers, students and those with medical problems . But, note the following: a woman and a youth from Jayyus who, according to the woman,were on their way to the doctor, were refused permission to go through. The soldiers’ version was that the woman appears here every day. After I had done some quiet pleading off at the side, A., the representative of the army’s District Coordinating Office (DCO) [the section of the army that deals with civilian affairs] again tried to talk to the checkpoint commander. After a few minutes, the latter returned saying that he had talked to his superior officer and had been refused permission to pass the woman and the youth through. OK, let’s accept his word. The episode didn’t seem serious and convincing enough to warrant involving the Physicians for Human Rights organization, or any of the others.In general, the traffic flowed well enough.At least two soldiers were doing the checking. One was particularly rough. He shoved aside a number of the youths who were refused permission to go through and who dared to hang around for a few minutes at some little distance from the checkpoint. “Clear off! Clear off! I’m going to count to five and if you don’t move….” And he pointed to his rifle. That’s what you get when you put so much power into the hands of a 19-year-old.I want to draw attention to a serious problem: the exit leading to Israel was manned by two very unpleasant “seam-line” volunteers [men and women– after army service, some even past the age at which they would normally be asked to do reserve duty — who volunteer to serve at checkpoints on the border between Israel and the Palestinian Authority]. One tried to tell me that Jubara was off-limits to Israelis. Both of them seemed to have no idea at all of the topography of the place, of where they were, of what they were supposed to be doing there, of what was forbidden and what was permitted, and to whom . The other one was even more annoying: he declared, loud and clear, that he would like to blow up all the Palestinians. And this without any provocation by me or anyone else. The volunteers are supposed to be a restraining influence, people who are mature and balanced, aren’t they ? It would be a good idea if whoever is responsible for them has another think.