Beit Iba

Beit Iba, Monday, 06.02.06, PM Observers: Niva D., Zahava G., Yonah A. (reporting)15:05 - On the road leading from Anabta to the Jit Junction, after the turnoff to Shave Shomron, a moveable checkpoint. A soldier stands on a halftrack and another soldier does the inspection. Five vehicles in the direction of Jit Junction and two in the direction of Anabta.15:10 - Beit IbaA line of vehicles at the entrance to Nablus. A long line of vehicles at the exit. Two soldiers check the cars in each direction.15:20 - At the pedestrian checkpoint there are many people in the distant turnstiles. The soldiers press on the button and a wave of people approaches the turnstiles closer to the checkpoint. On the left, the women pass through. On the right, the men. The inspection is quick. The women are hardly checked at all. The men are also only lightly checked. The checkpoint has no flags today or other decorations.The soldier checking calls us: "Someone wants to talk with you." Two students who live in Jenin and study in Tulkarm went to visit friends at the university in Nablus. They were allowed to enter, but now they want to return and they are told to go by way of Al Badhan. They ask if we can help them. We spoke with the soldiers who explained that there is still a separation order and a "fishnet" (a new term to us) and the students will have go around the long way.15:25 - The two lines of vehicles going out of Nablus are long. An officer hurries the soldiers in checking them. He himself wanders around between the cars and makes sure that they can proceed in both directions. The line shrinks quickly. An ambulance with flashing lights gets preference and goes through after an inspection.15:45 - Palestinians pass by us and say, "Today the checkpoint is quite nice."15:55 - Dafna calls to tell us that there has been a difficult flying checkpoint reported on the road connection the junction of Anabta and the Jit junction. We are asked to go there. We travelled to the Jit Junction. On the east side of the junction there is a long line of vehicles. We counted 40. When we ask, the soldiers tell us that there is an alert about an explosives belt.We returned in the direction of Anabta. On the road before the entrance to Shave Shomron there was a temporary roadblock with the half-track standing there and 7 cars waited to be inspected.