Anabta, Thursday PM, 16 February 2006 Observers: Hagar L, Nurit VL (reporting)The checkpoint at Anabta is completely dark. The IDF simply does not have a budget for suitable lighting for the soldiers they send to the checkpoints. It’s sad – a mockery. It is not difficult to imagine what can be done under cover of total blackout. On the site, rain, mud, chaos, and no, repeat no, security checks.When we arrived there was chaos at the checkpoint. Neither cars nor pedestrians were being processed, and everybody was shouting at everybody else. We phoned the DCO Tulkarm DCO [District Coordination Office of the IDF Civil Administration, that oversees passage permits] to find out why it was forbidden to allow passage to anyone, and nevertheless who was allowed… The answer – Tulkarm is under closure.Firstly, they released a few Israeli tow truck drivers with Israeli IDs who had been stuck there. Secondly, they began to permit pedestrians from Anabta going anywhere to pass, and cars only to Shufa, but to nowhere else.19:15 – change of shift for the soldiers. The new officer announced that there was closure in effect, and, with nervous shouts, ordered all the vehicle owners to turn around. Hagar again phoned the DCO to check whether there was exit from Jubara, and was told “yes,” but it is not certain. One of the vehicle owners explained that he could not return to Tulkarm, and he was scared to remain where he was. The officer continued to scream at him, even adding “Go screw yourself!” In the darkness and uproar there was even a small accident.We tried to calm them down and help with a number of humanitarian cases [i.e., medical and other special needs] but the result was quite hopeless. Worst of all was the humiliation of people who, in one fell swoop, were subjected to closure in the cold and darkness, with nowhere to return to and no way to go home. The helplessness of the few soldiers stationed there, forced to work with no means of lighting and no clear instructions, was staggering. Towards 20:00 some kind of order came about, and the commander made a point of informing all comers that it was not clear when they could leave.20:10 – before we left, it became clear to Hagar that a number ofpeople had their IDs confiscated by the blue [Israeli civilian] police before thecheckpoint (near Dir a-Sharaf). They could not leave, even on foot,without IDs. On the way home, we tried to call the police to clarify.They promised to return our call, but as we expected from longexperience – they did not do so!