Beit Iba

Beit Iba, Thursday PM, 9 Feb. 2006 Watchers: Shalva C., Yardena T., Ilana K. (reporting) 14:00 - 15:30Summary: the army does not like to work in the rain. There are not enough soldiers to process cars, so the traffic is stopped. Another attempt to drive us away from the checkpoint. Is this an order from above? 13:45 Jit Junction – two Hummers blocking to the crossing from Huwarra. Fifteen vehicles waiting. Pouring rain begins to fall. A soldier alongside the Hummer is checking slowly.13:55 Shavei Shomron – a Hummer is stationed on the road. No cars.14:00 Beit Iba – very cold, slashing rain and the dirt paths to andfrom the checkpoint have turned into running rivulets of water.Ten cars waiting at the entrance to Nablus, and ten waiting at the exit. The situation seems frozen – no movement, apart from an ambulance from one side or the other.The checkpoint commander greets us with a demand that we move away from thearea of the dugout to the far end of the pedestrian shed, or alternatively to the detainees' corner. We protested and the response was a threat to call the police. We moved a bit to the right, and the threat materialised. Demonstratively he phoned the police. Nevuani [whom we contacted] said over the phone that he could not help. Gil, at the brigade HQ, was on hold, so we decided to ignore it and bet on no policeman showing his nose out in the terrible rain. (The bet paid off).14:10 – a thin stream of pedestrians in both directions. Facing those coming from Nablus stands a soldier with gun pointed. Because of the water on the path of those entering Nablus, the pedestrians are guided to turnstiles in a different direction. Here they meet the people coming out from Nablus, who are perplexed about what to do. 14:15 - 15:00 – only a limited number of cars are allowed to enterNablus at a time. Meanwhile, a bus that left Tulkarm hours ago with people going to a wedding in Nablus, got to Anabta where it was stuck because no vehicles are being allowed out from there (see separate report). They turned around, and went by way of Jubara, through thepermanent "rolling" checkpoint on the sunken road under the bridge.15:15 – total stoppage. The line of cars waiting to leave Nablus isstill standing.Finally, we forded the river of running water to get, in the pouring rain, to the soldiers at the dugout to ask why they are not passing anything. The answer was, because they are only two and according to their orders there must be four soldiers in order to pass people (at the time there were three soldiers plus the one standing with gun aimed from a tripodat the relatively deserted pedestrian crossing).We pushed the two to get authority to transfer nevertheless (the company commander was apparently present above). After perhaps 10 minutes they begin to pass the vehicles from both sides, even though we did not see any additional soldiers. Conclusion: the army sets standards; if it doesn't stand by them, that's their (= the Palestinians) problem. Let them wait...Wet and frozen, we leave at 15:30 for Anabta (rain still falling). 15:40 Shavei Shomron junction – a checkpoint. No cars.