Beit Iba, Tue 4.12.07, Morning
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Observers:
Shlomit S, Elinoar B
Dec-4-2007
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Morning
07:45-08:45 - The construction work is practically finished, but the passage is still shared by everybody: men, women and "humanitarians" (e.g the elderly). Most people entering the city are checked randomly. The checkpoint commander instructs the checking soldier to let people pass freely whenever there is a congestion. Under 16-year-olds unaccompanied by a parent are not allowed to enter Nablus and are sent back.
At the exit side the vehicles are checked thoroughly. There are only a few vehicles entering the city, as only few get a permit to do so.
On the dusty window of new booth I detect an inscription traced in the dust in Russian: "DEATH TO ALL THE ARABS". I draw the soldier's attention to it. He calls a Russian-speaking soldier who confirms this, and refuses to erase it "because I didn't write it". The commander arrives and the inscription is erased along with another one on the other window, which I haven't had time to read.
At 08:00 or so a veritable spring-cleaning begins: a segeant-major arrives with a crew, plastic-bags and brooms. At least it is done by the soldiers. In the past when the checkpoint was cleaned (if it was cleaned at all) it was done by Palestinians.