Beit Iba, Jit, Mon 12.1.09, Morning

7:35  Jit junction is open.

Across from the industrial park of Kedumim there is a Hammer with soldiers.  Also on the way to Beit Iba there is a Hammer on the side of the road with soldiers inside.

7:50  Beit Iba

No lines at the entrance to Nablus.  Free passage for vehicles and pedestrians.  At the exit from Nablus, both vehicles and pedestrians are checked, but quickly.  Very few pedestrians, probably because the students have examinations.  Very cold.
8:40  We leave.

9:00

When we approach the new yellow gate which is on the road, we come across a line of about 30 vehicles which is not moving.  One of the drivers says to me that he came from Nablus by way of 'Atzira Asmaliyya and Shavey Shomron, because he doesn't have a permit to cross at Beit Iba.  Now he has already been waiting for more than half an hour.  On the other side there is also a long line whose end it is difficult to see.
An IDF jeep parks next to the new checkpoint, with one soldier inside and 2 soldiers are checking the drivers' IDs against a list.  The road is very narrow in this area, thus a truck which is parked at the checkpoint, while its driver's ID is being checked, blocks the traffic in both directions.  Also, the fact that only 2 soldiers are checking all the vehicles creates very long lines.  We call the Hotline.
I walk over to the soldiers and at exactly that moment they move the truck which was blocking the passage over to the side so they can let through all the vehicles arriving from the direction of Nablus without any inspection.  This is how is was for the whole shift there.  The truck driver is still being inspected.

There is a line of about 20 vehicles in the direction of Nablus and the drivers are inspected against a list.  From time to time a taxi or bus is sent to stand on the side while their documents are checked by telephone.  Everything is very slow, since there are only 2 soldiers "working" quietly and with no breaks.

9:10

The truck driver is released as well as the taxi and bus which had been detained.

9:30

We leave while there is still a line of about 20 vehicles which is filled up all the time, in the direction of Nablus, and the vehicles leaving Nablus go through without any inspection.