Beit Iba, Jit, Mon 12.11.07, Morning

Jit is not manned.

7.30 Beit Iba.
The drivers at the kiosk do not feel that there has been an improvement.
At the entrance to Nablus are 7 cars. Before going to the pedestrian area we cross the road without problems and stand at the turning to Qusin and can easily see the cars which are leaving Nablus.  During our entire shift we walked round at will in the area of the checkpoint and no one stopped us.  On the contrary the commander welcomes us and was very friendly. At the exit to Nablus the 8th truck in line took 20 minutes to pass  while every now and again a car went through the humanitarian lane.
The checking of the pedestrian lane changes according to the soldier who is doing the checking.  When a pleasant soldier does this there is no line and women pass with no problem and not all the men are checked.  But when another soldier comes on duty there are shouts  and people are sent back and a long line forms and everyone is checked including the elderly.  The commander reprimands the soldier and he himself helps to check but when he moves off the soldier returns to his unpleasant ways.  This time a sergeant reprimands him  but he continues to use his powers and only when the first soldier returns do things improve.
At the exit are hardly any pedestrians  but those that there are have their possessions very carefully checked.

8.30
14 cars in both direction but the movement is continuous.  And at 8.45 we leave

Nothing terrible happened but the horrible feeling of routine remains. Each one knows his job and carries it out…the soldiers, the Palestinians and we ourselves. Is this the way it will always be? Despair.