Sha`ar Shomron (Qasem), Tue 8.4.08, Morning
11.25
Sha'ar Shomron.
Next to the toilets stands a man with his back to the
checkpoint, his hands behind his back. We approached him and next to
him stood a soldier with wide soldiers and enormous sun glasses. His
head was touching that of the man and all his body was a threatening
mass. He spoke to the man threatening him. Soldiers stood at the
checking area smiling and making remarks about the man who was very
upset. As soon as he saw us he moved off. The man was waving his hands
and looking frightenedly in all directions .He told us that the
soldiers had caught him standing near his sister's fields in Haris and
accused him of trying to cross over the fence. They had taken his ID
and sent him here on foot.
Here
he had been told to stand at the fence looking over the fields. The
soldier had said to him not to look in that direction,. To put his
hands behind his back, then in front of him and threatened to hit him.
He had wanted to sit on the railing with his back to the checkpoint and
this had also not been allowed. He was 35 years of age. When he had
asked the captain for water it had been brought to him and then another
soldier had approached and knocked it out of his hand while the other
soldiers stood around laughing. He said why had they done so. Even a
dog was given water. He begged us not to leave as he did not know what
they would do to him were he alone.
10
minutes later a captain arrived, spoke to the man and freed him. He
wanted to complain about the soldier but the latter would not give his
name of number.
We took the man back to Haris where he climbed the hill and took his ID from the soldiers.