Beit Iba, Thu 11.10.07, Afternoon

Route 60 from Hawarre to Beit Iba 18:11 – 18:51

On our way to Beit Iba we pass a Palestinian bus and several cars on the side of the road. Some men are walking back and forth.   We stop and ask if there is something we can do.  It is totally dark out. They tell us that the bus is not working and they have called for a tow truck to come and pick it up.   However, they are worried because a few minutes ago a settler  passed by and told them, "Get out of here!" ("Tes tal kuu") and they don't know what to do.   We ask if they want us to stay with them.  They say yes.

 We stand on the road with them .  When the two trucks comes they have the hardest time getting the bus on the flat bed of the truck.   They finally give up with part of the bus hanging over the end and rush to their cars to take the vehicle to a safer place where they can try to get the bus all the way on without being fearful. As I stand there in the pitch black, moonless night on a rather deserted road in the middle of nowhere along with 2 other unarmed women, I wonder what it is we could actually do if settlers come again and threaten us. Not one single army or police vehicle comes by.   What an irony that 10 strong, young, capable men are dependent on  two old and one middle aged woman protecting them.  

Beit Iba  19:06 – 19:20   

As we arrive in the dark, we see 3 trucks on the line entering Nablus , two leaving Nablus and one from Qusin.

 As we approach the pedestrian area we see a few people and 3 goats on line waiting to enter Nablus. The soldiers are running around screaming and laughing.  It looks like a bunch of children playing tag. It turns out it is a drill.  This drill has to be done every so often we are told. The drill ends and the pedestrians who have been waiting on both sides are let in.   The officer warns us to stay 3 meters away from the pedestrian booth. We are told that vehicles and pedestrians will be allowed to pass through until 9PM.    Despite the fact that there  two of the soldiers checking the vehicle line are not busy once the 2 vehicles from Nablus have passed through, the vehicle from Koucheen continues to wait until the line entering Nablus has been checked and the two soldiers from that side notice it and wave it through. Then the CP is strangely empty.