Beit Iba, Mon 8.9.08, Afternoon

Beit
Iba, Monday 8.9.08 afternoon

15:00  On the way to the Beit Iba checkpoint
the taxi drivers asked us why Israelis can freely enter Nablus in their cars,
but they themselves can't.  And, in
fact, we saw cars with yellow license plates entering Nablus after the blue ID
cards were checked by the soldiers. 
The DCO representative and the checkpoint commander said that in honor
of Ramadan, Israeli Arabs can enter Nablus.

There
was considerable vehicle traffic to Nablus.  Private cars and trucks in two lanes passed through after
being checked.  Palestinian cars
without permits had to turn back. 
The porters are moving a few goods through that the soldiers inspect.

The
lane of pedestrians leaving Nablus has lots of traffic, mostly of
students.  Passage is rapid.  The shed under which people wait fills
and empties quickly.  Most people
pass without being checked.  Women
pass through on the side without being checked.

At
the entrance to Nablus, pedestrians aren't being checked at all.  A soldier stands in front of a civilian
who shows him a green ID card, and sends him on his way with a nod of the head.

The
checkpoint operates quietly, for the most part.  When the line gets crowded, someone calls/yells: Lu'wara,
lu'wara (back, back).