Deir Sharaf, Mon 15.6.09, Afternoon
14:45 5-6 soldiers stand at the positions on both sides of the road. Most cars go past without stopping, in both directions. A Palestinian vehicle coming from the direction of Nablus is parked by the side of the road. After about twenty minutes we go over to the checkpoint to find out why the vehicle is being detained. An army jeep filled with soldiers arrives from the direction of Nablus and stops in the middle of the road. The soldiers get out of the jeep to talk to the soldiers at the checkpoint, and traffic from the direction of Nablus is blocked. Five minutes later the soldiers move the jeep to the side of the road and a soldier from the checkpoint comes over to us. "Why are you interfering?" he asks, and we ask him why the Palestinian vehicle is being detained. "They're checking an ID on the computer. I can't be more specific." The soldiers from the jeep also come over to us. In response to our question about why the jeep blocked the road, one of the soldiers replies: "For the hell of it." Another soldier feels uncomfortable and explains, "We thought that the soldiers at the checkpoint needed help – you saw that we moved the jeep."
15:25 The Palestinian vehicle is released.
Deir Sharaf checkpoint
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Deir Sharaf checkpoint is located west of Nablus and south of the settlement of Shavei Shomron, at the entrance to the village of Deir Sharaf on the road leading to Nablus. The checkpoint was activated in early March 2009 after the Beit Iba checkpoint was closed. Palestinians are allowed through the checkpoint , but not for Israelis. Unlike the checkpoints leading to Qalqilya and Tulkarm, crossing of Israeli Palestinians is only allowed on Saturdays.
Nina SebaFeb-28-2024Deir Sharaf - the entrance to the village
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