Beit Iba, Wed 24.9.08, Afternoon

No incidents worth reporting, except  that there’s no one at the checkpoints.

14:50  6 cars entering, 8 leaving.  Traffic flows freely.

Three lanes for cars: one entering Nablus, and two leaving – one of them “humanitarian” and for Israelis, the second for busses, trucks and cars.

At the pedestrian checkpoint: 

The examination isn’t very rigorous.  There are almost no people waiting in the shed.  One turnstile is operating.  The humanitarian lane is empty.  From time to time people arrive and pass through almost without being checked.

15:15  The shed fills up slightly, and another turnstile is opened.

Busses arrive from time to time; the ID’s of the driver and of young men are checked.

15:45  A vehicle full of goats goes through with no problem, apparently with a special permit.  The shed is still almost empty.  The DCO representative says that its because the checkpoint at Asira Shamaliya was removed.  It makes more sense for Palestinians to go through there.

15:50  Since the checkpoint was empty – we left.