Beit Iba

Beit Iba, Thursday 7.12.06, PMObservers: Semadar H., Hagar L. (reporting)Restrictions of movement and passage: No restrictions in passage for population sectors.The northern passage on Highway #60 is still blocked to traffic at Shavey Shomron. The entrance to the village of Jabara is allowed only with permits.Dirt heaps along Highway #57 between Dir Sharaf and Anabta have not been removed, as also piles of dirt and boulders at the exit from the villages near Highway #557: Safrin, Shopha (the western descent to Highway #557).Checkpoint at Beit Iba closed at 19:00 according to the soldiers; the Hotline confirms that this is the closing time.17:00 – Beit Iba checkpoint. No pedestrian line. The stream of people going into Nablus is bigger than that coming out. Most of the pressure, according to one of the soldiers, is between 12:00-15:00. On the other wand, there is a long line of vehicles at the exit from Nablus, about 40, standing in two lines, but there is only one team of soldiers checking them. I understand from the driver of a taxi that this is some sort of new order, to separate the line of trucks from the line of smaller vehicles. I ask the officer in charge of vehicles to open up a new inspection line, but he didn't have enough soldiers for this. The inspections went along smoothly.18:05 – We leave. The Jit Junction has no soldiers, no checkpoint.