Beit Iba

Beit Iba, Saturday, 27.5.06 AMObservers: Nadim, Michal P, Elath (reporting) Around 10:15 no checkpoints were observed along Route 60 to Jit Junction. At Jit, a checkpoint west of the junction in the westerly direction. One vehicle waiting. From Jit westward, no checkpoints. Beit Iba 08:50 – two detainees, one a taxi driver from the east side who “attacked” the soldiers who came to “make order”; the second, according to Y., the checkpoint commander, had tried to bypass the checkpoint by way of the vehicle lane. Today’s travel regulations: pedestrians – all can enter; exit, 16-30 years old Nablus residents prohibited. vehicles in both directions, only allowed to pass if they have a permit – including Qusin. Pedestrians from west to east, two lines, one for young people, scores of students. Average wait five minutes. The other for adults, women and children. Average wait half a minute. We saw no one detained or returned from west to east. From east to west, little traffic. Lines not forming. Quick passage. Vehicles, from west to east, between two and five at any given moment, mostly trucks. From east to west, the nearest lane is closed. Seven vehicles waiting for roughly 40 minutes.The checkpoint commander is polite and communicative (including to us). A soldier starts a conversation by enquiring about what we are photographing, and why – and almost succeeded in convincing us that we are “choosing” subjectively scenes that will give negative information about the checkpoint. Why don’t we photograph how pleasant, polite and enlightened they are? And, as usual, why don’t we bring them cold drinks and candies? 09:50 – two more detainees from east to west. Two young men, one of whom is “suspected” of “encouraging” the other to cross even though he is “prohibited.” 09:53 – the two more senior detainees leave. 10:05 – we leave.