Beit Iba

Beit Iba 19.12 AMObservers: Elisheva A, Michalina D (reporting)The morning after a widescale Israeli operation in Nablus including arrests and demolition of houses. Up to 8.00 the checkpoint was empty, with few people approaching. The taxi drivers awaiting customers said it was because of the blocks in the area because of the operation and fear that they would not be allowed through. Now that the blocks had been removed, the drivers anticipated that people would soon start arriving. The few who did come went through fast after rapid checks of IDs. A boy of 15, whose elderly father was leaning on him, was allowed through after a brief consultation between the soldiers. He had no papers but was registered in his father’s ID.Traffic began to accumulate at 8.00 and within an hour was lively, particularly in the Nablus direction. Vehicles also started arriving. According to the soldiers and the DCO officer, passage regulations were unchanged. Those allowed through, went through rapidly. In cases of doubt, the soldiers consulted the DCO officer. There were no detainees throughout our watch.Cases where passage was refused or permitted only after clarification: - three brothers, two of “problematic” ages and one about 10 wanted to enter Nablus urgently so see their mother in hospital. The 16-year-old said he’d forgotten his ID and was barred. For the youngest, the soldiers demanded his mother’s ID. The DCO officer intervened and the three went through. A vehicle of the Palestinian medical services, driven by a medic was not allowed through to Nablus without a special vehicle permit. His family – wife and children – were in the vehicle. The commander consulted the DCO officer who decided not to permit passage. He said free passage without a permit was only for doctors but not medics. A medic can go through in a car only with a special permit or when on duty. The driver tried to insist and in response the DCO representative took his and his wife’s IDs. He said it was only till the vehicle turned round for fear the driver might try to break through the barrier.A vehicle with medical equipment and drugs tried to enter Nablus. The driver said they were regular suppliers, particularly in the northern area, selling to DCOs and had never been asked for a special permit. The DCO received the answer from HQ that the company was unknown there and decided not to let them through. We contacted Dalia, the coordinator of health matters, and it turned out that the company was registered and known in her office. After half an hour’s delay, the vehicle went through.