"Just two days ago I was talking with some men who were being forced to wait at the northern Bethlehem checkpoint (Gilo Checkpoint, Checkpoint 300). I arrived at 1:30pm and was told they had been waiting since 9am for the soldiers to return their identity cards. This is very common.
When I offered them water one man took a quick drink and then hid it when he noticed soldiers walking towards us. He informed me that they were refusing to allow the men to drink any water and had taken the water they had before and dumped it out on their heads.
Just a few minutes later a young Palestinian boy came to the checkpoint from Jerusalem with a shopping cart full of various electrical items. An older officer emptied the cart by taking the electrical items and throwing them on the pavement, while the boy tried desperately to catch each item and break it's fall. He then took the boy's cart and forced him to stagger off carrying a vaccuum cleaner, a T.V., and three heavy plastic bags.
When I tried to help the boy carry his stuff I was placed "under arrest", though once the boy had left they simply let me go."
