Beit Iba

Beit Iba, Monday, 14.5.07, amObservers: Naomi L, Osnat R (reporting)08:55 – Jit junction, no checkpoint.09:05 – Beit Iba, no line of cars to enter Nablus. Coming out, as usual it is difficult to tell. A peddler coming out of Nablus, is required to open all his packages. After a while a sort of dialogue ensues with two Palestinians, even in Arabic. In the course of these two events, a line of vehicles outbound from Nablus waits, even though there are enough soldiers to carry on inspecting vehicles. True, the waiting time is only five minutes in any event such as this. They check IDs and cargo.There is no pedestrian line in either direction. At the exit from Nablus, a soldier stands with rifle pointed at the passers by, and checks bags, mostly of the men.At the entrance, women and older people are not checked. A lot of mistaken understandings on the part of passers by – when and to whom is it said that he may pass, because everything is by hand signals, and then shouts to go back.No detainees, no special restrictions.