Beit Iba, Jit, Mon 5.11.07, Morning

Jit 8.30

There is a checkpoint.

 Beit Iba 7.45 

8 cars at the entrance which took 20 minutes to pass. There is hardly any line at the exit and most of the time there were 3-4 cars there.  The shed is nearing completion  and people have to go on the road. One turnstile has been put in and it looks as if on the other side there will be another one. It is possible that when the building is finished it will be hard for us to see what is happening.

At the entrance to Nablus only young people are checked against the list. About 20 men who take 20 minutes to pass. When there is pressure 3 soldiers check and when the number of one of the young men comes up against the list he passes within 2 minutes.

At the exit no line but IDs and bags are carefully checked. There is simply not much movement here.

8.15

"A stoppage of life" because of an exercise with much smiling from the soldiers and in 5 minutes there is a return to procedure.

8.40

At the entrance to Nablus all the passengers alight from the bus, women who have to go through the pedestrian passage and the bus is sent back. 15 minutes later another bus is allowed to enter and only one passenger is told to alight, a young man. Once his ID had been checked he got into the bus again and all went on their way.

Two young men of about 16 are not allowed to pass even though they are with an adult who is not their father. It is easy to see by their dress that they have nothing on them, the soldiers have a hand device for checking.  But the orders are strict and there is no getting past them. Women pass without being checked even when they are completely covered including their eyes and so a young man disguised could get through.