Beit Iba, Thursday, 26.5.05, AMObservers: Zvia S, Tal B, Micky P (reporting)At Beit Iba clear passage of pedestrians, while vehicles wait between one and two hours. A detainee who was found to have rifle bullets will be taken later for Shabak (GSS) interrogation and be arrested. Rolling checkpoint at Anabta – 15-20 cars in each direction. The first in line say they’ve been waiting an hour. Beit Iba9.25 – a pleasant soldier is letting cars through after a rapid check. 9.30 – at the checkpoint – not many people crossing in both directions. Passage is relatively smooth. The MP is polite and from time to time greets people. Again we encounter two taxi drivers who want to go through to Nablus through Sarra. The Palestinian DCO too is not helping them. We explained that we have no influence on the decision-making but they apparently refuse to believe that we can’t come to an arrangement with the army. 9.40 – two lines of vehicles from Nablus. A bus is checked – the driver complains that he’s been in line since 7.30. We approached the checkpoint commander, not particularly pleasant but he replies that there are a number of cars and the taxis are a disturbing element. We asked him to add two soldiers to the checking team, but he refused. We also talked to H. from the DCO who also justified the situation, as he usually does. R. from the DCO doesn’t reply. We contacted the army hotline and they said they would check. We hear H. explaining to someone that there’s nothing to be done. That’s the situation. 9.52 – We decide to time the passage procedure. 14 vehicles go through in 28 minutes. The soldiers are rude and patronizing, though without raising their voices. They give orders without please or thank you. From time to time they turn to the pedestrian line and shout at them. We commented to them and they said: They don’t deserve it. They’re not human beings! And refused to discuss the matter further. We tried to ask the commander to take note, but he didn’t seem troubled. 10.20 – we telephone R. again, and he says he knows things are difficult but it’s impossible to check a vehicle in less than 2 minutes. He tells us it’s planned to move the checkpoint a kilometer away and ease the crossing procedure. 10.25 – a detainee who was carrying a bag with bullets. Tal asked to see and was shown. The Shabak (GSS) have apparently been summoned. We took his name and brought him food. He had no telephone and the soldiers wouldn’t let him make a call. He gave us a friend’s telephone number and we informed him and asked him to inform the detainee’s family. 10.30 –Three Italians want to go into Nablus. Their papers are checked and they are allowed in without problems. 10.45 – 3 soldiers are pursuing the “supermarket cart owner” who transports bags from Nablus. He stands firm but they insist that he come to the checkpoint. They want to arrest him. We appealed to A., who told us the man caused problems yesterday. Then he reprimanded him and told him that every time he takes goods across he must come to the checkpoint with the cart and show his passage permit to the soldiers. 11.20 –we leave the checkpoint11.30 – a rolling checkpoint at Anabta. 15 vehicles in each direction. The first driver tells us he’s been here for an hour. Slow checks by 3 soldiers. We contacted the army Moked. And DCO Nablus who told us it wasn’t their area. We left a message for the next watch to check. 11.50 – we left.