Beit Iba, Monday, 18.7.05, PMObservers: Yonah A., Dorit H., Ziona S. (reporting)”The Usual Occupation” – 15:20 – The repeating picture of the last few months. A long line, mostly trucks and buses, all the way to the entrance of Nablus. From a conversation with the drivers: the waiting time was 2 hours. We shouldn’t get used to this.Adapting: On our way to the gate, a family from Qadum walks at our side on their way to a wedding in Nablus. Two women, two men and five small children. They are carrying an equal number of kindergarten chairs with them. When they see us, the women chuckle: Are you from the “slum”? Our uncle told us that we would be waiting a long time and advised us to bring chairs. And then they broke out in laughter. They really have a lot of strength of character!We arrived at the checkpoint. One detainee in the shed. According to the check point commander, for about 10 minutes. The soldier didn’t let us talk with him, because we were interrupting his work. Meanwhile, another detainee arrives. 15:40 – They handcuff the first detainee and blindfold him. The second detainee is released after 15 minutes. He was a student at A-Najah. Doesn’t know why he was detained.15:45 – A jeep arrives blasting its sirens, as though on a dangerous chase. It turns out that it came to take the handcuffed and blindfolded detainee. The soldiers drag him violently to the jeep.15:50 – At the exit from Nablus there are about 200 people standing in the heat, a lot of children. Many female students. Chaos. There is a line before the turnstiles and also in the humanitarian track. In the latter, there is shoving at the exit. The soldier explains in English that no one under 40 can pass in this line. He sends the young men to the turnstiles. It should be mentioned that the soldiers behave politely and efficiently. Even when there is pressure on the exit, they address the crowd politely. An officer from the DCO arrives and joins the inspection, so the line shortens quickly.16:10 – A female student tells us that she lives in Tulkarm and has been waiting for 2 1/2 hours at the exit. Since there is now no entering Tulkarm from Anabta, she has to go back and forth through Jenin.. That is, she spends 5 hours a day on the road to cover a distance of about 20 minutes. A man about 70 is pulled from the taxis near the entrance checkpoint. Something heavy in his hands…Two women and two babies, laden with packages, leave the checkpoint. I tried to take a package to help them. It was not possible. I couldn’t understand how they would make it to the taxi line.16:50 – The line is shorter. Leaving quickly. The soldiers inspect with a smile. The problem is now mainly the line of vehicles. Buses, mini-buses and private cars. The inspection is carried out slowly. Yonah tells the soldier at the checkpoint about his friend who was inspecting cars, who said to her: I hate you. The soldier, a senstive youth, whose behavior was noticeably humane – admits: They poison us against you. You take pity on the Palestinians, and don’t realize how hard it is for us. They stand for 2 hours in line, but we – 8 hours, with all of our equipment and hot uniforms. We tried to explain to him that we are not here to oppose them personally, that their suffering has already lasted for 38 years, that we understand that he is not responsible for this – but we do expect that they will at least not add additional, unnecessary problems to the present reality.17:45 – We leave.Jit Junction18:00 – On the way back from Beit Iba, there is a flying checkpoint at Jit Junction. A long line of about 20 cars. At the head of the line we see a picture which looks as though it was staged, even we hadn’t known the reality. Three youths are checked from all directions. In circular movements which are dance-like – they raise their shirts, take down their pants, turn right. We – grade A people – as in an article by an Israeli Arab from a week ago – pass by before their humiliation, and the shame is painful.