International Checkpoint Watch - Daily Observations
Date:
June 20, 2001
Time: 17:05-18:40
Place
Observed: Surda
Checkpoint
Number
of Soldiers Present, license plate #s, etc.: There is
a jeep and a personnel carrier. 4
soldiers are outside the jeep, and 1 inside.
Jeep # 669343.
Events
Witnessed:
17:05 The
soldiers are stopping random taxis that go by and checking their IDs.
17:10
Soldiers check private cars. Taffic is blocked and becomes backed up.
17:15
A second jeep arrives with soldiers.
2 private cars are denied passage.
17:20
3 private cars are denied passage
17:22
A UN car is stopped and questioned.
A private car denied passage.
17:25
Soldiers make a taxi wait while they check IDs.
17:30 A
man who lives near Birzeit heading from Ramallah towards Birzeit is not allowed
through the checkpoint. He waits
until 17:55 and then a soldier tells him to leave.
17:35 2
private cars denied passage. The
second jeep leaves. A taxi is stopped until 17:55.
17:45 2
private cars denied passage
17:47
The taxi that was detained at 17:25 is released.
18:00 2
private cars and a delivery truck are denied passage.
A taxi is detained until 6:10
18:05 A
private car is denied passage
18:10 A
private car with yellow plates is denied passage
18:25 3
private cars coming from the Beit El road are stopped behind the jeep.
1 is denied
18:40
The Israeli jeep
leaves and the checkpoint ends
Summary:
We
saw 14 vehicles denied passage and turned around by the soldiers.
3 taxis were detained for at least 10 minutes, and several more were
detained for shorter lengths of time.