Beit Iba, Sunday, 8.1.06, PMObservers: Alix W., Gal T., Susan L., (reporting)Guests: Judith, David (England); Liz, Rafi (USA)SummaryThe news today is full of Sharon, what he’s done in his checkered career, full of conjectures about where he was going, but little about the reality that he’s created, a reality we’re confronted with every day in the Occupied Territories. One journalist correctly, from our point of view, conveys it thus: “There is little evidence that Sharon had any sense of the daily humiliations, and attendant hatred, accentuated by his policies including the construction of a barrier-wall symbolizing his own and Israel’s turning away from a Palestinian neighbor willed, as far as possible, into nonexistence.” (Roger Cohen, IHT January 7-8, 2006). The Palestinian neighbor “willed, as far as possible, into nonexistence” formed the basis of today’s shift.13:00 SarraThe boulders strewn across the entrance to Sarra seem more ominous and greater in number than ever. The pipe, sending water to Kedumim, as firm and strong as ever, but the hose, with water pressure already so feeble, looks limp and unused. What is going on? We’ve no idea. There’s not a soul around. 13:15 By the Delek petrol pump, outside the industrial area of the settlement, for the first time in a long while, a rolling checkpoint and a line of about eight vehicles. Otherwise, nothing until Beit Iba except the blissful or almost jovial sight of a shepherd and his flock of sheep wending their way, perhaps ominously for the sheep, towards Deir Sharaf and the butchers, already overflowing with lamb carcasses for the feast of Eid al Adha (starting Monday evening).13:30 Beit Iba/bThe carpentry shop is already closed for the upcoming three day holiday, and the checkpoint is quiet, or busy in a different way from a normal Sunday. No university students (it’s vacation time), there’s a holiday atmosphere, numerous families with small children and innumerable parcels and baggage, shuttle donkey carts busier than ever signifying, yet again, the coming Eid al-Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice — the most important feast of the Muslim calendar. At the vehicular checkpoint, the few vehicles from the west, more coming out of Nablus, are checked as carefully as ever, although passengers are not taken from the busses out into the rain. No soldier stands at the concrete block, gun at the ready.Not so at the passenger checkpoint where a nervous soldier stands at the ready and complains that A., the officer in charge, is “too nice.”13:55 Indeed, A. accompanies a woman who’s wandered into the road to cross over to the other side, walking with her towards the waiting taxis. For the first time in a while, A., the DCO representative, is visible and overtly tells A. something he should or should not do. Whether A. does so with knowledge of the upcoming holiday or not, he manages to be as considerate with passing pedestrians as possible, very different from other officers in charge at this checkpoint of late, and the overall atmosphere where two of the three near by turnstiles are now turning freely, is not bad: many IDs are not checked at all, the nonverbal signals, for once, being positive and people are waved on their way. 14:45 Road to Shavei ShomronRoad works with a deep trench on one side of the potted tarmac, its meaning, other than improvements on the way for the settlers, not clear. 15:00 Junction with road to Qedumim and AnabtaThis time, the rolling checkpoint seems to have been recently set up. No Hummer this time, but what looks like a modified APC, planted across the roadway. Beyond, west of the checkpoint, an endless stream of cars and trucks are stuck in the deep mud of the fields on the north side of the road: the usual dirt paths have become slimy and, in one case, we spy a tractor pulling a mini van through an olive grove while numerous other cars are huffing and puffing trying to move out of the thick, clinging mud.Near Ramin, dozens of people, mainly women and children, again, with numerous plastic bags and baggage make their way – it’s not clear where. Maybe they wait for a passing taxi. What is clear is that they are on the move – on their way to try and spend a holiday with family. Whether they get where they want is another matter…restricted movement is the name of the occupation game these days, and restrictions (see Anabta report) are in the air — -everywhere.