Beit Iba, Mon. PM, 15.8.05Observers: Yonah A., Ofra B-P., Dorit H. (reporting)Guest: Lee A.On the way to Beit Iba we met up with a lot of soldiers, especially at the roadblock next to the turning to Shavey Shomron. We decided to continue to Beit Iba and return here afterward.16:00 – Beit IbaWe are shocked. As though we hadn’t come to the outskirts of one of the largest cities. The area is almost empty, very few vehicles either going in or out, almost no pedestrians, although they claim there is not a closure! We meet N., the driver, at a kiosk next to the taxis and try to find out, with his help, what is going on. It turns out that, since almost all the roads to and from northern Samaria are blocked, practically no taxis have arrived. We meet a man who came from Sebastia this morning and has been waiting for hours already, without knowing how he will get home, since the Northern road, by way of Shavey Shomron, is closed.The checkpoint is almost empty. The bored soldiers joke around and explain that there is no closure, but “everyone thinks there is, because of the disengagement.” We turn to the few residents who have nevertheless gone out of Nablus, and they tell us that there are rumors about a lot of army and settlers who beat Palestinians yesterday, and about soldiers near Shavey Shomron. A young woman student tells me that today, whoever doesn’t really have to, is not going out. After about an hour we decide to return to Shavey Shomron.17:10 – On the dirt road leading from the Beit Iba checkpoint to the turnoff for Shavey Shomron. A large permanent roadblock has been placed there. IDF soldiers are laying electric cables, fixing the lights, putting up a large iron gate. When we ask, the soldiers say that the IDF is erecting a “checkpoint of barrels”, as part of the disengagement. They say that the checkpoint is not intended to block Palestinians, but rather settlers. (Happy is he who believes…). For the first time, I actually see Palestinian vehicles passing through without stopping, while the settler vehicles are standing on the side. We try to understand why they don’t allow the Palestinians to go North. The soldiers claim that there is a Northern passage from junction 23 to road 60 which is not blocked; everyone must go that way.18:00 – J’at JunctionA roadblock and iron gate. The gate is open, 2 soldiers at the checkpoint. No vehicles and no pedestrians. We leave.