AM

JIT JUNCTION, Saturday 22 May 2004 AMObservers: Hannah B., Aliza C., Hava H (reporting) color=red>The Jit junction presented the usual sight -- on one side of the road, a line of 25 vehicles, including buses, trucks and private cars, all coming from Nablus; and on the other side of the road-- passengers , some 50 of them, detained there for checking, all of them young people under the age of 35. From talking to them, we learned that they were bound for Ramallah, most of them to get to their jobs there, others to medical appointments, while yet others were going on business. There was no line at all in the opposite direction, i.e. into Nablus: no cars or minibuses were stopped, no passengers were taken off or detained for checking of their identity documents, although permits were given a quick glance. The entire junction was full of army personnel and their vehicles. The soldiers, (all of them reservists) were correct , even pleasant. They talked to us, agreed with us, didn't complain that we were "interfering with" their work, said: "Good for you!" and: "Perhaps when we're back in civilian life again we'll see it the way you do, but right now, we're soldiers…" and, of course: "You mustn't hold it against the soldiers, it doesn't depend on us."The checking and returning of documents was carried out as fairly as possible and relatively quickly, too. Within an hour-and-a-half, traffic on both sides of the junction was flowing freely again, although when we returned from Beit Iba there was another line of cars waiting to proceed towards Nablus, and some 10 detainees lounging up against the railings.