Beit Iba

Beit Iba 31.01.2005 PMObservers: Noa P., Drora S., Susan L. (reporting)Summary: In spite of all the changes we hear and read about, none of us inMachsomWatch are surprised that it's more of the same in the WestBank. True, there are no flying checkpoints today, not at Jit, oranywhere else. The Nablus checkpoints are only made more bearable whenthere's a decent human being in charge, and at Beit Iba that's notthe case. The officer, T., who's been written about in the past, todayshowed less of his ugly personality, but more of his inefficiency, thereal work being done by A., who's there alone - doing what needs to bedone but with some humanity and with some sense. Beit Iba15:30 On our way to Beit Iba, we zoom past Jit, just sheep and theirshepherd on the road, giving time to admire the wondrously blossomingvalley around Deir Sharaf.At the checkpoint, long, long lines leaving Nablus, with two soldiersstanding at the turnstiles, doing nothing except gazing at the peopletrying to get through. The DCO rep., H., leaves in the usual whiteDCO jeep well before 16:00, so there's nobody to alleviate problems.We're told that A. is in charge; he's working on the IDs of the youngmen in the detainees' compound and is unconcerned as to where westand, or where we wander. One of the detainees complains that hepasses every day, why is he being detained today? A. waves the womenon, not bothering to check any of their IDs.15:50 The atmosphere changes as Captain T., complete with youngsoldier alongside (his "sidekick") arrives. No prize for anyMachsomWatcher who guesses what he tells us immediately: "Move from here,go over there."16:00 A. calls out the names of the detainees, has problems only withthose put there by Captain T., whom he calls out to at the turnstiles.The noise of the pressing crowd at the turnstiles is awful. Theturnstiles get stuck, Captain T. holding them to turn them more slowlyor not at all. Admittedly, he helps to get a baby's push cart through,but one of the other soldiers standing there claims he doesn't carehow slowly it goes. There are now three soldiers at the turnstiles,doing nothing except looking at the crowd in front of them. An ugly scene.16:25. We make our way to the other side of the checkpoint where along, long line of men is waiting at the barbed wire. One of themkicks it aside, so several people pass through. Suddenly, the soldiersfrom the vehicular checkpoint run over to this line, telling men to goback to the end of the line - far away in the direction of Nablus!There's more anger, more noise.Suddenly, A. appears, quietly begins to check IDs at the barbed wire,moves the crowd efficiently and quickly. Some people sprint over theconcrete barrier between the lines, trying to get A to check them, butthe other three soldiers, including Captain T., continue what they'vebeen doing: nothing, except creating frustration and anger.One of us goes over to Captain T., suggesting that he and the othertwo soldiers check IDs at the turnstiles, instead of having peoplewait and go up to the "office." No results, except that we're told"Stand elsewhere, you're not allowed here."Captain T. is interested only in his status as a captain.Gradually, closing time at Beit Iba approaches, the line peters out,but the last hour or two have been hellish.17:00 At the Kosin junction, a group of men has been waiting. A., whoseems to be everywhere, and who's doing the work of a whole unit,listens to them: they're Paltek employees who've been working inanother area of Nablus, and there's trouble been made for them at thischeckpoint where they don't usually cross. They're let go, but anothergroup of younger men still have to have their IDs checked. It's 17:15, and still a problem with a lone Palestinian with aJordanian passport to deal with. Based on the Palestinians with Germanpassports a few days earlier at the same checkpoint, maybe we need tolook into the whole issue of passports and how they're dealt with.