Beit Iba, Thu 1.1.09, Morning

Beit Iba 

 09.20
 24 cars at the entrance to the checkpoint, 4 in the direction of Kuchin and 9 at the exit.
At the entrance pedestrians are sometimes checked. There is a short line at the exit. The commander was angry when we   went to the lot opposite the checkpoint. He chased us away and was very hostile. A soldier with a camera was happy to photograph us a few times. Not clear whether this is an army or private camera. (Has George Orwell got to Palestine?)
09.30
An exercise. Everyone is sent off and no one enters or exits. The soldiers stand chatting at the checkpoint. Pedestrians and cars wait. 20 minutes passed  and they allowed the women through. The owners of the cars are called to the captain at 10.00 and asked us to come with them. A car was stopped and sent to the side of the road. The passengers were sent to the enclosure and their phone taken from them.The commander did not allow us to come to the meeting with the cart owners. They said that they had been asked not to put too much on their carts and not to take passengers though. It was agreed to allow the old and sick through.10.29

The car line emptied