Beit Iba, Tues. PM, 27.06.06Observers: Yael S., Amit Y. (reporting)15:20: When we arrive, there are 13 vehicles waiting to cross into Nablus; people arriving in vehicles from the opposite direction say that they have been waiting half an hour. At the pedestrian crossing there is a fast flow of people in the direction of Nablus; from Nablus, there is a special line for women and humanitartian cases, which takes about 15 minutes, for men, the wait is slightly longer. For men between 18-25 it is forbidden to leave Nablus.Aside from that, no restrictions. However, from 12:00 there is an order to carry out careful inspection in every direction. One of the soldiers explains that they are searching for someone specific. He also says that, since last Friday and up until today at 12, they operated under standing orders – without any special restrictions – something which hasn’t happened at Beit Iba for several months.At around 16:00, the tension increases; the checkpoint commander stops the passage of pedestrians from Nablus, on the grounds that people are not standing in line as they ought and are breaking the turnstiles. He shouts at everyone to go back and stand one behind the other, and only after they do that will he open the passage way again. But nothing they do satisfies him.Meanwhile, the humanitarian line is closed, since it was this commander who was manning it. For some reason, the soldiers also leave the inspection station at the entrance to Nablus. Pressure in every direction, increase of tension and frustration. A number of middle-aged men tell us that they have just finished a long and tiring work day; why don’t they allow them to go home? We try to suggest to the commander that perhaps, instead of shouting, he should go over to the other side of the turnstiles and ask the Palestinians politely to get into order as he wants. We also call his attention that the closure of the passage way only increases the tension and disorder, something which he certainly does not want. We are polite, and he is intelligent. Within a quarter hour, reason prevails. At first, he opens the turnstiles; then the passage way in the direction of Nablus; finally, also the humanitarian line is opened again.17:00- J’at Junction: the passage way is totally open and relaxed.