Beit Iba, Sun 7.12.08, Morning

7.10   At the corner of road 60 in the direction of Nablus before the crossroads of Shomron, a new unmanned checkpoint. We wondered what this new addition meant. 

7.20 Few cars at Beit Iba which was empty. When we parked a taxi driver told us that last night he had waited on the road to his home in the village of Jit more than two hours from 17.30 – 19.30  because of the pogroms of the settlers. In the end a captain had taken the initiative and had accompanied him to his village with one Hummer in front and two at the back. He said that there were rumours that on Sunday there had been a pogrom at Pondok. Terrible that we have come to such a low level.

 At the front of the checkpoint we saw a new fence. The checkpoint was empty and few passed through. A driver who came from Nablus complained  that he had a permit for a truck and was not allowed to pass. We spoke to the commander who was a pleasant man and asked about the driver. We were told that the permit is spec ific….driver, car and checkpoint and that all three details have to be present which was not so in the case of the driver. We asked what the checkpoint next to the crossroads of Shomron meant.  He said that the enclosure of  Nablus would be lifted, the checkpoint would be further, so that  the passage between it and the villages near by would be easier. The checkpoint of Beit Iba would no longer be in action  and would only be used as a protection against thieves which is the reason for the new fence.

7.45 We left.