BEIT IBA, Wednesday 11 August 2004 AMObservers: Natalia A., Noa G., Liat G., Michalina D. (reporting)colour=red>08:40–Two of us watched the vehicle crossing, two – the pedestrian crossing. All in all, this was a very calm watch, mainly because of the considerate and humane attitude of most of the soldiers. There seemed to have been no change in regulations, which highlights even further the great differences between various soldiers when it comes to decisions about whom to allow through the checkpoint. There were no special problems for vehicles. Pedestrian passage was generally rapid. Women went through without checking, as did older men and children. Young men were detained for document checks for less than half an hour [detainees are typically young men aged from 16 to 30 who have no passage permits. The checkpoint soldiers phone their ID details to the General Security Services (GSS) which cross-checks them against a central list of security suspects and then phones the results back to the checkpoint. This is a cumbersome procedure, which often takes a long time, and can take even longer if the checkpoint soldiers wait to accumulate a batch of ID cards before they contact the GSS, or if they wait to get back a batch from the GSS rather than releasing individuals as clearance comes through for each. During this time, the detainees are virtually prisoners at the checkpoints since the soldiers retain their ID cards until clearance arrives. In the case of this watch, the soldiers obviosly acted swiftly and efficiently]. At the exit from Nablus, passage was slower because of document and package checks, but it was still at a reasonable pace. According to the commander, young men could go through only with a valid permit or under special circumstances. This did not include students going to exams. The soldiers claimed that university exams had ended yesterday. Two students who arrived at 08:45 for a 10:00 exam were not allowed through. At our request, their details were checked [with the GSS] and they went through at 09:10.At 09.00 a young woman asked our help. She lived in a village near Nablus and was getting married very soon. Her fiancé, according to custom, was with her, as were his mother, her mother, her little brother and two sisters, all on their way to buy wedding rings and gold jewellery for her. The soldiers didn’t detain the women and child, but they refused to let the bridegroom through. He was 23! Luckily for him he’d worked in Israel for a number of years and had once had a passage permit. One of the soldiers was persuaded to check his details [with the GSS]. Happily, approval was given and they all went through at 09:40.Shortly after 09:00 an older man asked to go into Nablus with his 16 or 17-year-old son. He went through but the lad was sent back. The father said he’d gone back and given the boy money for a taxi home, but the son had tried to escape and slip around the checkpoint. The soldiers caught him and detained both of them. The father said a soldier had told him he didn’t believe that he hadn’t told the boy to do it. At about 09:45 we asked one of the soldiers to release the father and reconsider the son’s conduct. Approval was received for both. The soldier took the boy aside for a talk. Father and son went through at 09:55. We left at 10:20.