Afternoon

9 border police at the checkpoint and another two further up near the mosque. People passing quickly with cursory check. One young man detained for up to one half hour but then released. The commander of the post spoke to us at length about how considerate he is of the Palestinian population. When we asked him about the purpose of some 8 plastic barriers that blocked the road and made it difficult for drivers to enter and leave the area, he said that they were there for the security of the border police. Within minutes, he rearranged the barriers in a more sensible manner, allowing more room for the drivers to maneuver. A Palestinian cab driver told us that the team today was really "okay" and that they were okay yesterday as well. All in all, a quiet, uneventful shift.