BEIT IBA, Thursday 13 May 2004 PMObservers: Vera R., Menuha M. (reporting) color=red>The usual harsh routine. There was an overlap of regular troops with a new group of reservists. In the second half of the shift, it was the reserve unit that remained – relaxed, meanwhile, but already too concerned with trying to impose some barrack square order [on the Palestinians] and they checked only very slowly. There was no water available, apart from the irrigation pipe from which the detainees were afraid to take water. There were two incidents in which a soldier stood with his rifle aimed at people waiting in line. 14:45 – The side of the checkpoint that leads towards Nablus was empty: no pedestrians, no vehicles. Just mud and puddles because the dust has been dampened. A student from Jenin wanted to go through to An-Najah University to take an exam. He was refused entry. We didn’t succeed in persuading O., who argued vehemently that there were no exams that day, and H. wasn’t helpful. There were 15 detainees sitting in the blazing sun without any shade, improvising head-covers from cardboard boxes and their own shirts. They included a man of over 50, two teachers and a medical staff member. The Border Policemen, sitting in a jeep, collected documents for checking from a few men who had already been checked and had gone through. An hour later, the papers of the 50-year-old, the teachers and the medical man were returned and they continued on their way. It wasn’t clear if anyone all had checked. It seemed to be just a delay imposed on the Palestinians at the initiative of the policemen.16:20 – About 30 people were waiting at the exit from Nablus. The soldiers at the concrete barriers were working very slowly and the line grew ever longer. It was mostly women who were let through and a few men. Students had problems and if they insisted they were sent to the detainees’ area. A similar number were standing at the entrance to Nablus and there too the check took a long time because the soldiers were slow.16:40 –A bus let off about 30 people at the entrance to Nablus and immediately afterwards two minibuses arrived. Altogether there were more than 50 people. We decided this time to check how long passage through the checkpoint took. One of the soldiers at the checking point had his rifle aimed at the people. Vera commented on this and he promptly told her not to disturb him; but in the end , he lowered the rifle. That was the second such incident that day. There was a long line of trucks (11) at the entrance to Nablus. Ambulances went through without delay after being checked . Also waiting were a car with a European Union flag and a UN vehicle.16:55 – There were now about 200 people at the exit from Nablus. The checkpoint was closed because the waiting Palestinians didn’t form two lines. A young man volunteered to sort things out and then the (reserve) soldier announced that an additional exit had been opened for women alone. Women went through after about a 40 minute wait; men went through at a slower pace.On the front of a military truck carrying soldiers was an orange-brown flag with a black Magen David [Star of David, a Jewish symbol] and the words “Yesha for ever ” [Yesha is the Hebrew acronym for Yehuda, Shomron , Aza — in English: Judea , Samaria and Gaza — i.e Greater Israel]. This reminded us that the regular troops now leaving the checkpoint were from the “yeshivot hesder” [religious units in the army combining military service with Talmudic studies — their membership is often ultra-nationalist].17:30 – The European Union and UN vehicles went through after waiting 40 minutes.18:10 –The last of the passengers from the bus and the two minibuses went through, having waited an hour and forty minutes.We left, leaving behind us about 15 detainees, some from Beit Furik and some from Sarra (this means that they still have to go through an additional checkpoint. When we talked later to one of the men from Sarra he told us he had reached the Sarra checkpoint and would soon be able to go home).