BEIT IBA, HUWWARA, Tuesday 22 June 2004 AM colour = red> There was a relatively small line waiting for entry into Nablus – less than 50; there were six detainees of whom the soldiers said that some had been waiting an hour-and-a-half, and others about 15 minutes. One was detained as an “educational” punishment because he had “sneaked” through the hills and been caught. He said he felt he had nothing to lose.08.50 — The entry line was a little longer, there was almost no-one at the exit. Two women asked for help in getting their brother through the checkpoint: he is almost 30, had a doctor’s referral and was not being allowed through. A., a “seam-line” volunteer helped him [Palestinian men aged between 16 and 30 are routinely stopped at the checkpoints where they must wait while lengthy security checks are run by the General Security Services (GSS) also known as the Shabak or Shin Bet, from the Hebrew acronym; the “seam-line” volunteers are usually older men and women who volunteer to help the soldiers at checkpoints where Israel and the Palestinian Authority touch each other– the idea was that the older people would be a calming influence]. A group of students from An-Najah who weren’t allowed through also appealed to us. A. helped again.9:30 — Huwwara South:Thirteen detainees were standing in the sun without water, one said he’d there four hours. The commander, Y, didn’t deny it but said there was a communications problem [between the checkpoint and the GSS]. .A young mother with a small sick child in her arms had a referral to hospital and was with her brother. She was let through but he was underage. She couldn’t manage without him. We called D.B. [in charge of medical services in the occupied territories] at the District Co-ordinating Office (DC0) and she promised to help [the DCO is the section of the army that handles civilian matters].10 :05 — Huwwara NorthThere were two detainees, 11 confiscated taxis. Staff Sgt. A, hadn’t changed since we were here last, he still wouldn’t talk to us or cooperate. Lt. N, a young reservist who was the DCO representative, promised to help. He sent us to get details from the brother and then called Huwwara South and told them to let him through. A. punished a Palestinian who’d tried to sidestep the checkpoint by making him stand “in the corner” beside the latrine. We persuade N. to come to Huwwara South to check why the detainees had been there so long. Despite the “communications problem, “ Y. released all but two – who were being “taught a lesson.” One of them had arrived after being told twice he couldn’t go through: this time he came with a feeble old man and tried to exploit him to get through. One of the soldiers told me he usually sympathized with the Palestinians but this young man was blatantly exploiting the old man.Back to Huwwara North, where there were now 11 detainees. After half an hour N. released them all apart from a new arrival. He said that if there’s no answer after half an hour, he releases the detainees. A taxi driver arrived to release his van – N. claimed he wasn’t the owner and that’s there’s now a new occupation – taxi drivers pay someone else to pick up their vehicles. N. summoned him to come at 18:00 . I asked why he was doing this when there was no pressure at the checkpoint now, and N. said that if they let one have his vehicle outside the regular hours, all the others would want the same.11:30 – We left. Fifteen minutes later we reached Tapuah junction where there was a line of 20 cars.Generally speaking it was a calm watch, and the soldiers were mostly cooperative.