Beit Iba, Jit, Wed 2.4.08, Morning

Summary: Once again we met truck drivers who were suffering from the new orders which decrease greatly the number of trucks which can take goods into Beit Iba.

A truck with fowls in cages which arrived from Kuchin which is next to the checkpoint has to go to Awarta which is half an hour away and who knows how long he will have to wait in line. We saw that some of the fowls had already died.

A driver who arrived from Shaare Ephraim  and who had to get to Sara and where the main entrance is next to the crossroads of Jit is blocked had to go to Nablus through Awarta and from there through the villages of Arak, Burin and Til, 50 miles along a bad road. And that is the way that the army carried out the decree of the High Court of Justice to allow each village one exit. But it does its best (or worst) that this road should be the longest, the worst and to embitter the lives of the Palestinians as much as possible.

The reservists are very polite to the Palestinians but the commander is not prepared to take any responsibility to deviate from the rules.

8.15 Beit Iba. A truck with fowls in cages arrives ( as reported above). The day is hot and some of the fowls are dying. We phone the humanitarian centre, to Naomi Lalo and also to Asam of the DCo and also try to persuade the commander that he can use his discretion but nothing helps.

Another driver who is taken blocks from Israel and who has already been checked at Shaar Ephraim is also refused. (as reported before). He will also have to go to Awarta. Many ascents and descents and he has a heavy load and he will have to go through the narrow streets of Nablus and then once again on bad roads through village.

8.25 A stoppage of life for 5 minutes and we do not know the reason.

8.40 The dog trainer arrives and a car is checked on the side of the road. All the passengers stand far off. They watch as the car is contaminated by the dog and the heart saddens.

Pedestrians pass quickly. IDs of young men only are checked against the list of numbers. After the stoppage of life the line passed quickly without being checked. At the exit of Nablus the checking is slow and thorough but there are few people exiting at this time of the morning.

At the crossroads of Jit there are no checkpoint.

At the illegal settlement of Shvut Ami which the army supposedly evacuated some months ago we see some one who seems in despair. Then later we hear that today there is the intention to save this game of hide and seek and destroy the building.