International Checkpoint Watch - Daily Observations

Date:  05/08/01                                    Time:  17:00-19:10

Place Observed:  Surda/Birzeit Checkpoint

Number of Soldiers Present:  3

Soldiers Names, ID #’s, License Plate #’s, Etc.:  jeep registration no. 610765

17:00 We stood at a vegetable stand at near the Israeli checkpoint in Surda.  The man selling vegetables said that the soldiers hadn’t stopped anyone for 30 minutes, we decided to keep a low profile and stood in the tent for about 15 min.

17:15 Israeli military jeep goes up the hill and comes back down accompanied by a large truck-like vehicle (license plates 510 431) which we were afterwards told was used to put detainees in, like a “prison on wheels”. Immediately after this,  the soldiers start checking all cars again.

17:35 Israeli soldiers allowing some cars through and stopping others. Now a line of about 80 cars are waiting at the checkpoint.

17:35 One person, a young worker, is detained because of missing ID. We ask the soldiers why they won’t let him go, and they tell us he will have to get his ID somehow before they let him go.  The detainee’s colleagues promised to get his ID from his village about 30 minutes away.

17:40 The soldiers are checking papers of all men. Line of about 100 cars.

17:45 They are now letting some cars through to Ramallah.  A car is detained for about 5 minutes for not behaving “properly” in line.

17:55 After having let cars through, the road is now almost cleared and the traffic is flowing for about 5 minutes.

18:00 The soldiers are checking ID’s randomly for about 15 minutes each person.

18:15 One of the soldiers comes up to us and says “So, how’s my mark today?”  “Are we doing well today?”.

He also asked about whether we were neutral or “Pro-Palestinian”/ ”Pro-Israeli”, whether we were monitoring Palestinian attacks within Israel too etc.

He also said (about the guy they detained) “Does he look miserable to you? Would you like me to give him the NIS800 fine he deserves for not having his ID instead of keeping him here?”  After they talked to us they went and sat in their jeep for about 20 minutes, not checking any cars.

18:30 The Israeli soldiers let the detained guy go without having seen his ID. He walks off towards Surda after thanking us.

18:45 Stopping cars again and checking ID’s randomly until 19:10