Beit Iba
Beit Iba, Tuesday, 9/01/2007; PMObservers: Yael S., Zahava G., Michal S., Michal A., Amit Y.; Reporter: Amit Y. 15:30, Beit Iba: When we arrive there are 8 cars waiting to drive into Nablus and 2 cars waiting in the other direction. At the pedestrian crossing there’s no wait at all. Anajah University is on semester break, explaining the very light traffic. The commander also tells us that there are no special restrictions and very light checkups of cars. However, when I go to observe the car checkpoint the soldiers thoroughly inspect all passengers and luggage on their way to Nablus, including the luggage on the porters’ carts. This probably explains the 8-car queue. But it is, nonetheless, a relatively easy day at the roadblocks. However, even during such relatively easy times there are those who pay an unduly high price. These days it’s the cabdrivers; with fewer restrictions on the roads, there are also fewer customers for them and – some of them told us – they’re struggling to make a living.
Location Description
Beit Iba
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A perimeter checkpoint west of the city of Nablus. Operated from 2001 to 2009 as one of the four permanent checkpoints closing on Nablus: Beit Furik and Awarta to the east and Hawara to the south. A pedestrian-only checkpoint, where MachsomWatch volunteers were present daily for several hours in the morning and afternoon to document the thousands of Palestinians waiting for hours in long queues with no shelter in the heat or rain, to leave the district city for anywhere else in the West Bank. From March 2009, as part of the easing of the Palestinian movement in the West Bank, it was abolished, without a trace, and without any adverse change in the security situation.
Neta EfroniJun-4-2014Beit-Iba checkpoint 22.04.04
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