Jit Junction, Beit Iba

Jit Junction, Beit Iba, Sunday 11.02.07. PM E onlyObservers: Aliya S., Alix W., Susan L. (reporting)Guest: Chloe B. SummaryIn a week where we've seen incitement brought about by the present government with the northern frontier, the Mugrabi Gate and the appointment of a new, unpopular Justice Minister, it comes as no surprise, perhaps, that the women of MachsomWatch are told that their posture at a checkpoint (Jit) is seen as "provocation," and that these same women are told that they should leave a checkpoint (Anabta) for their own good as shooting is about to start. Provocation: the act of provoking someone to do a certain act which is normally associated with getting out of control, danger, and with anger. Jit Junction13:40 -- how long ago was it that this checkpoint was seemingly removed? Just a few weeks ago that Olmert indicated that the army would ease freedom of movement and make life smooth for Palestinians. Instead, the impediments remain, and delays and hold ups, including the supposedly relaxed restrictions, are all back. There are four soldiers on the roadway, two at each position on the main roads. Up above, on the grassy green, flower bedecked slope at a third position are another two soldiers who keep their gun sights in place all the time we're there (mainly at us). The line coming up the hill from the direction of Beit Iba is long when we arrive. A Taneeb bus is stopped at the top of the hill, all the young men standing outside. Shortly after our arrival, they pile on the bus and leave, while the long queue of vehicles behind quickly disbands. From the direction of Huwwara, few vehicles, which are checked by two reservists, anxious that we know (how could we miss) that they are, indeed, reservists, doing what needs to be done. They have never heard of MachsomWatch and aren't curious to find out. Instead, they are keen to provoke us, to make calls to their company commander, N., who next asks to speak to us, then insists that where we are really needed is at Gilad (near one of the Shomron settlements) where settlers are trying to plant (sic) trees (in what we infer must be Palestinian land)!13:55 -- the settlers aren't that far off, however. A young man, trying to hitch a ride in the Huwwara direction tries to come over to assault us (verbally). One of the soldiers bars his way, and he is eventually persuaded to stand on the other side of the road (where our car is parked). On the other hand, the same soldier now comes to us and demands to know why we provoke…. 14:10 A change of shift and we make our way back to the car, while enduring the disgusting taunts of the settler youth. SarraWe had not been back for a while, noticed now that there is a black three inch pipe leading from the hilltop and a barely covered ditch across the dirt path where the pipe must be buried, supplying water – finally – to the villages beyond. We are amazed to see that there is a brand new, unmanned gate barring entrance and exit from Sarra. A small group of four to five men gather round us, telling us that they are now being treated like caged animals, that the gate, albeit only four or five days old, is never open. Indeed. The way to Nablus, just five minutes away, now involves a long and circuitous route. People are ever more burdened by the occupation. The provocation is endless.15:45 Beit IbaA., the commander knows only that there are no restrictions this afternoon. What there was this morning is another matter. But in fact, he is completely vague and has no idea. "Was it 16-35 year olds?" "Yeah, something like that." The amount of filth at the checkpoint is again overwhelming. Even worse, a rubbish bin, overflowing with the soldiers' empty lunch trays has been left gaping open to the skies. The nose of the quarry is drowned by the noise of one soldier who manages to shout non stop to the not many pedestrians coming from Nablus. "One by one" (in pidgin Arabic); "Put your bag on the table" (more pidgin Arabic); "No, it's closed" (of a turnstile); "Use the middle one (of a turnstile – in Hebrew only). And so it goes. 16:10 -- there are fewer pedestrians but suddenly three, then five men in the detention compound. The soldiers carry on with their task. The DCO representative arrives, raises his eyebrows at the number detained, seems to ask of the reservists why, then proceeds to get on his cell phone, winks at us, hands the green IDs to a soldier who proceeds to release the men who proceed on their way into the city.16:15 -- a young veiled woman waits by the open door of the lock up. A military policewoman leaves the computer at the central checking area, dons her helmet above her basketball cap, wanders over to the cell, approaching the young woman while holding the door as if to close it, then immediately returns – obviously disgusted with the task to which she'd been assigned. The humiliation of people continues. And sometimes, just sometimes, we catch a glimpse that this humiliation is too much for the soldiers. 16:45 -- vehicle checking has been thorough, a dog sitting midst the command post of the four soldiers checking vehicles, drivers, but there are few vehicles into Nablus, and those exiting the city are checked methodically. As we leave, an Israeli car with yellow license plates and a family with small children inside waits to be let back from Nablus: the family have no luck with the soldiers in pleading their case, and await the arrival of the blue police.