Azzun, Beit Iba, Jit, Mon 12.11.07, Afternoon

Beit Iba - 15.00
The building is continuing. A high fence divides pedestrians from the road of cars. An island divides two routes and a soldier paints a black and white line at the side. Two turnstiles have been put up at the entrance to Nablus but in the meantime pedestrians cross from the side. Two soldiers check IDs of all those entering. Now and again he lets women and the elderly go through without checking. He also greets us in Arabic and asks how we are.
One detainee in the enclosure. The commander, a second lieutenant asks us not to bother them and to move off 20 metres. When we refuse saying we will stand where we can see another soldier from the engineering corp comes to help him and to threaten us with the police if we do not move off. He says that the area is a building area and under his command and no one can stand there. We found another place to stand so as to avoid arguments.
Some of the soldiers who were commanded by the soldier in the sentry tower were busy hunting up young men who tried to pass through the fields and every now and again two of the soldiers would go out to try to catch them and bring them to the enclosure.
15.30
6 detainees and Tarik promises to see that they are freed.
15.40
 A truck full of metal waste tries to enter Nablus and the soldiers send it to the side of the road. The driver and his passenger get down and want to offload their cargo.  Karin delays this. The soldier is excited. 2 bullets have been found. This has to be discussed with the commander and he phones his superiors.  The two men are sent to the enclosure where they are to be checked. The DCO representative  says that the matter has been brought to the attention of the secret service and is no longer under the authority of the soldiers at the checkpoint.
One of the soldiers wants to speak to us but after a few minutes he is reprimanded by the commander and called to order.
Two soldiers stand at the table checking parcels. A remark by one of the detainees angers one soldier and he starts to go towards the enclosure but is stopped by his friends. Maybe because of our presence.
16.45
Jit is empty. On a hill opposite Kedumim is a white van is parked next to a house and on the hill is a sign "Svut Ami."  At the turning to Azzun are 4 soldiers and the road to the village is blocked.