Beit Iba, Anabta

Beit Iba, Election Day, 9.1.2005 AMObservers: Alex W., Tal A., Susan L. (reporting)Guest: Sandra R.Summary:Election Day in the Palestinian Authority: Palestinians and their carswere checked at the checkpoints and roadblocks. There was littleeasing of restrictions. Flying checkpoints were there, as usual; inbrief, little evidence that Israel was keeping its promise to easePalestinian travel during today's elections. Instead the militarypresence at Beit Iba was greater than usual, the amount of top brassimpressive (or depressing).12:45 Beit IbaOn the way, we spot a group of soldiers on guard and checking vehiclesat the turn off for Anabta and a flying checkpoint at one of theusual places, a couple of kilometers from Beit Iba.Once there, we're surprised that there's nobody in the long concretelanes leading to the checkpoint and pleasantly surprised that there'snobody in the detention compound. Instead, there are a host ofsoldiers. We're told "it's like a Friday," there are no universitystudents at all, mainly families with small children.1:10 -3:10A forlorn looking threesome, woman and two men, stands by thebarricade. The woman explains, in halting English, one man is herbrother, and they both have Palestinian ID's, but her Jordanianhusband's passport has expired. The DCO rep, O., is, as usual helpful,(even has a message for one of the watchers on the morning shift, thatthe case of the 16 year old was resolved, and that it "was a pity shedidn't see the end"). O. says that only the police, who were thereearlier, can ok the Jordanian's return to Kalkilya, where the familylives, and later translates, in Arabic, to the woman what we're doingon their behalf.Their case takes up a lot of time, the army humanitarian moked can'thelp, nor can the private moked whose number we have. A call to theJordanian consulate isn't answered: of course, it's Sunday! The womanproudly shows her thumb with its brown election stamp. A couple ofB'Tselem employees now appear and try to problem-solve with us. Onehas the bright idea to call one of the MK's who's touring thecheckpoints today, somebody who's known to be a good friend ofMachsomWatch (MK Bronfman)! We do so, and give him the number of theAriel police station. By the time we leave, two hours later, nothinghas happened, and O. tells that he has also called again.Much, much later, at about 4:00, on our way home, we get a call fromone of the B'Tselem colleagues, that the Jordanian has been let go,but that he has absolutely no idea as to why. A case of all's wellthat ends well, and a positive working relationship with othersworking on behalf of human rights.1:30 A woman and her large suitcase get stuck in the turnstile, and ahelpful male passerby helps her out. Not so the officious soldier inthe checkpost (note: all the soldiers kept their helmets on today,even when inside). The woman is from Jerusalem, is a citizen, has beenvisiting an aunt in Nablus, together with her five children. Shespeaks very good English. The soldier, G., with an unusual name here,whose mother, I later learn from him, is English, speaks to her onlyin Hebrew, tells her that she has no permit to leave Nablus. She saysthat she's on her way back home. He relents on the permit, but insiststhat she lift the heavy suitcase on the table, "I don't see anything,"he grumbles and makes her burrow through it, shushing us when we pointout that she's carrying a blue ID.At one point there are eight or nine soldiers gathered round thecheckpost. A major appears after about an hour, hangs around in theshade with his sunglasses. On learning from him that they're all hereto "ease the passage of the Palestinians," and in response to acomment of ours that "there aren't many (Palestinians) here," heretorts testily, "that's not my problem."The officer in charge today, T., tells us, "Don't stand there, it'sforbidden," (newly invented rules for us today). Another soldier,complete with long antenna piece, while leaning on one of the emptyconcrete lanes, tells us to "talk to somebody else," and he points toone of the several officers a couple of meters away.2:10 One soldier, checking the ID's of young men leaving Nablus, has asquared piece of paper with numbers written on it with a ballpoint pen(no computer printout). He checks the ID numbers against the piece ofpaper. We don't notice when this young man is stopped at thecheckpost. We only see that, suddenly, three or four soldiers arefrogmarching, manhandling this young man, to the single detentioncell. The door is open, we see soldiers doing something inside, thedoor is locked, and we note that the young man is blindfolded. EvenO., who is usually communicative, tells us that he can't say why he'sbeing held, that he's being checked (but O. is surrounded by all thesoldiers described above as well as the heavy army brass.) Threeinternational observers, two from Denmark, one from Italy, coming outof Nablus, witness this scene with us, telling us they saw no problemsin Nablus, nor were there problems for them at the checkpoints. Asoldier now brings a wooden crate/stool for the detainee to sit on.But some five minutes later, T., the officer in charge, marches theblindfolded detainee up the steps. As they go by us, one of theB'Tselem people calls out to the young man in Arabic. We learn onlythat he's from Tubas, and he's whisked away by a waiting military jeep.3:10 SaraOn the way there, not a flying checkpoint in sight.The three soldiers tell us that they've seen "lots" of MachsomWatcherstoday, and that we've just missed MK Mitzna's visit!It's quiet on the hillside, the three soldiers are bored, one ispleasant and willing to chat, the other bothered as to whether we're"Israeli" (another one hiding behind sunglasses). There are mini busesand a large bus to be checked, and people lining up, single file alongconcrete lanes, designed for single file, that have been planted onthis bucolic hillside. A cheerful local, bearing an Abu Mazen baseballcap, the driver of a taxi plastered with posters, is proud to show ushis brown thumb from the polling station.3:40 On the way back, near Jit, at the gas station, opposite Kedumim,a flying checkpoint has now appeared, and all vehicles are beingstopped and checked. (Perhaps they waited until Mitzna had left forBeit Iba).