Beit Iba, Jit, Wed 4.6.08, Morning

Natanya translating
 
The usual routine of the checkpoint and the behaviour is decent. Few cars or pedestrians because of the university holidays. 4 detained for two or more hours and all by order of the secret service as we are told. No humanitarian line at the entrance to Nablus and men and women are pushed together as is opposed to their culture.
 
At Jit no checkpoints.
7.30 – 9.40 The car lane is as usual with little movement and one car from each side, even though it is relatively early. As usual  hardly any cars have permits to go into Nablus. There is a dogtrainer.

7.40 A man of 20 is detained but the soldiers do not allow us to take details from him. It turns out that his number has come up and that is all the number and he is wanted by the secret service. His older brother waits for him in the shed. He is the youngest son of the family and al are worried. Later his two sisters are supposed to come and the older is worried how they will accept the situation. The suspect worked at the settlements and has a magnetic care, that is he already passed all the Secret Service investigations but this makes no impression. But the orders are being carried out and who dares go against

them. He is freed at 9.30.
Besides this the attitude of the commander and the soldiers both to us and the Palestinians is reasonable and with that they carry out their difficult duties.
At 8.20 the dogtrainer checks an empty truck while the passengers standing outside have their IDs checked. Another man is detained with the same story and at 8.30 2 more. We look for the representative of the DC and though they say he is there no one knows where he is. We phone Nimrod at the centre about the first detainee and wait over an hour. He promises to check it out. Netta goes to them and no one chases her away. She takes the phone number of the two and goes to buy water and the brother also buys for his brother but when we bring it to them it seems that the soldiers already gave them water.
At the entrance to Nablus there is only one line of pedestrians. The second is closed at random. Because the women do not stand next to the men the soldiers have to pay attention when one arrived and order the men to open the line for them. The older men for the most part are also not checked. They stand in the usual line, no choice.

In the meantime the DCO arrive, sergeant Tarak speaks to us but there is no reaction, He is not the commander, The commander,  a first sergeant,  says he does not make the decisions and only those above him, or the division sergeant or the brigade commander. He goes to the line and himself sees to it that women and the elderly do not wait. All those in line move back and have to wait 5 metres from the checking area. Today there are not many pedestrians because of the holidays and sometimes the checkpoint is empty.
9.00 3 men take off their belts when the x-ray device squeaks and also their shoes. At the side is the humanitarian line and a young man sits on the ground to put his shoes on.

4 detainees still in the shed and we phone the humanitarian centre and Liat says she will check at the brigade.

9.10 There is a problem and a taxi to Nablus is detained. The commander goes on to the hill to find the DCO who has again disappeared. He does not find him and goes to the booth of the military police. After checking the car is allowed to pass. Again there is a problem with a truck whose owner has the permit to take it into Nablus (the permit is for the truck and the owner is in hospital. Someone else is driving. This time the DCO manages to solve the problem after he had told the driver to turn back.

9.25 The dogtrainer stands at the car lane and "hunts" in a random fashion and another truck is checked. 2 men and 2 women get out.

9.30The first two detainees are freed and one of them by order of the secret service is not allowed to leave Nablus and goes back to the city.
9.40 We leave  and hear over the phone that the other two detainees were freed at 10.55.