International Checkpoint Watch - Daily Observations
Date:
02/01/2002
Time: 15:30 – 17:00
Place Observed:
Surda
Number of Soldiers Present: Initially four soldiers
and one jeep at checkpoint. Later
eight soldiers, two military jeeps, and two police jeeps with at least four
police.
Soldiers Names, ID #’s, License Plate #’s, Etc:
Military jeeps #s 669 373 and 669 509
Police jeeps license #s 21383 and 22412
Events Witnessed:
15:30- Soldier pulls handbrake of empty car to move it.
The car rolls back and hits the dirt cliff behind it, smashing the back
of the car. The owner returns
shortly thereafter and drives the car away.
15:47- Police jeep license # 21383 arrives and heads up the hill toward
Surda.
15:58- Military jeep # 669 373 leaves toward Bet El.
16:08- Military jeep # 669 373 returns to checkpoint with a second
police jeep, license # 22412, and both drive past the checkpoint towards Surda.
16:10- Military jeep # 669 509 arrives from direction of Bet El and
drives past checkpoint toward Surda and parks at the top of the hill.
It blocks all pedestrian and vehicle traffic.
Pedestrians immediately begin walking around soldiers through the
adjacent fields. Upon questioninng by the monitors, one soldier says they
found a bomb in a car, another says they found a stolen car. When monitor asks more questions the soldier who appears to
be in charge pushes him back. Meanwhile,
military jeep # 669 373 and the two
police jeeps block the road ahead of military jeep # 669 509 and do something to
a car up the road.
16:25- Jeep # 669 373 and
police jeeps block an ambulance from proceding toward Ramallah.
16:28- Jeep # 669 373 and
police jeeps begin to allow vehicle traffic to pass.
16:35- Military jeep # 669
373 and police jeep license # 21383 leave toward Bet El.
16:38- Military jeep # 669 373 returns up hill in Surda again, then
returns to checkpoint.
16:43- Military jeep # 669 509 leaves with police jeep license # 22412
and a truck which carries the car they have been working on away and toward Bet
El.