Beit Iba, Wed 17.12.08, Afternoon

14:30  We passed the Qalqilya
roadblock on the way to Beit Iba.  Few vehicles, light traffic. 

14:35  The entrance to
Azzun was open. 

14:55  The solitary house
on the hill – empty and abandoned;  opposite it, the "summer
camp" of the settlers was also empty and abandoned… 

Next to Deir Sharaf a new checkpoint
– a yellow one – seems about to open.  They say that it will
replace the Beit Iba checkpoint which is about to be dismantled (they
say). 

15:15  Beit Iba. 
No line of vehicles at the entrance to Nablus.  At the exit –
a few cars.  At the pedestrian checkpoint, a new metal gate marks
off the area of the checkpoint at the entrance.  It is open, and
it is not clear why it is there.  After all, they say that this
checkpoint is about to be cancelled.  The humanitarian line is
almost empty.  Once in a while a few people come and go through
easily.  There are about 30 people in the shed.  One turnstile
is operating, it seems they don't need more. 

Three detainees.  When
we asked why, we were given these answers:  One of them was a "bingo",
the second had no ID and about the third, the commander said, "It
isn't because I just felt like it."  No conversation with
the soldiers. 

There is no one from the DCO
around.  We called the DCO office and left an answer on the machine. 
Buses are being checked quickly.  In general, a quiet atmosphere. 

16:00  We left the area.