BEIT IBA, Monday 9 August 2004 PMObservers: Keren R., Ruti K. (reporting) colour=red>There were no special incidents. The traffic kept moving, detainees were released after 15-20 minutes, and the soldiers were relaxed and polite [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 shift at Beit Iba, the soldiers handled matters properly and there were virtually no hold-ups].We arrived at 14:00. There were a few trucks entering Nablus and an equally small number of pedestrians leaving the town.. We were greeted by the company CO, H., in friendly fashion and with appreciation of our efforts, except for “those women who use crude and aggressive language towards my men.” He said he’d sent a letter to our website. Another officer, M., was present part of the time and was communicative and friendly.Three student detainees – one of them Russian-speaking and studying in Russia – talked to Keren. They were released after 15 minutes and replaced by others, including a driver who’d crossed the “virtual” line [beyond which the taxi drivers may not drive their vehicles] on the Nablus side. They too were released without too much delay. There were many women and children, all loaded with shopping from Nablus, but there were no delays and we heard no verbal abuse. We asked if the women might be allowed to use the shaded lane at the checking point and the commander agreed at once.A “mixed” family – the woman from a [Israeli] village near Nazareth, the father from Nablus, and their one-month-old-baby, asked for a passage permit so that the wife could visit his family. To our surprise, it was granted.There was [an Israel army] Hammer truck on the spot, catching drivers who crossed the line and confiscating ID cards or keys, including those of a Sarra resident who was known to them all and who parks there every day. The commander telephoned the personnel of the Hammer who promised that the ID card would be returned rapidly, but we left at 17:30 before it happened.