Jubara, Wednesday, 26.10.05Observers: Michalina D, Elisheva A07:20 On our way to Beit Iba, we passed Anabta. There is no manned checkpoint after the permanent one.JubaraWe entered the village. The owner of a grocery store told us that he is often harassed at the entrance to the village, with everything about the quantity and kinds of products that he brings in. The soldiers do not know that he is the only shop owner in the village. According to him, he prepared a letter to K. in which he asked to be issued an additional document for transit at the checkpoint.Jubara CheckpointsCars that try to pass other than on the apartheid road are being redirected: “They have no reason and have their own special roads..” It didn’t even sound racist…At the entrance checkpoint to the village, a pickup truck belonging to a resident is delayed. The driver’s papers and keys have been taken from him. The reason: A few days ago, the GSS discovered that he had transported computers stolen from the Defence Ministry! The GSS hadn’t succeeded in catching him, so he had to wait till they came to check!! The story seemed strange, to say the least.09:30 We started to phone. There was no one we knew at the DCO office. The operations sergeant promised to check and asked us to call again in ten minutes. We did – time and again – but she didn’t have answers.10:15 We called the brigade spokesman, but there was no response. We spoke with the brigade operations sergeant who promised to deal with it. In conversation with the checkpoint commander, he repeated, and repeated, the story about “Ministry of Defence computers” but now it was Ituran (beeper company) personnel who had to interrogate the man! While I explained to him that it seemed strange that the army was accepting orders from a commercial company – an instruction came from brigade to let the driver go. The vehicle was released, having been held for an hour and a half! According to the seam line volunteer: “So what! So he waited!!Fares the porter was trying to work at the checkpoint. He got work, but the soldiers wouldn’t let him use his cart. Why? Because! Another check and the permission was given. Sometimes the harassment is pure stupidity… We were present at another incident of humiliation for its own sake: a youngster from Tulkarm wanted to accompany his (Israeli) mother returning from a visit. She had parcels to carry. According to the soldiers, the youngster was impudent. My impression was that he simply did not lower his eyes and fawn… They brought him to the point of apologizing. Good for them!!!Michalina was assailed verbally by the woman soldier with the dog: “You are ancient fleas sitting on us. All the soldiers know that you love Arabs.” (Commanders, please note!)In conclusion: Jubara only seems to be problem free. Attention should be paid to it.Critical: the IDF accepts orders from Ituran!!