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IDF troops checking cars at a checkpoint in the West Bank city of Jericho. (AP)
Last update - 00:00 14/04/2008
IDF probing why Palestinians held 16 hours at checkpoint
By Akiva Eldar
Tags: West Bank, Israel 

The Israel Defense Forces has opened an investigation into allegations that 46 Palestinians were detained for no reason at a West Bank checkpoint for 16 hours last week, and their car tires punctured. The human rights group MachsomWatch (which overlooks IDF activity at checkpoints) filed a complaint about the incident with the army.

According to a MachsomWatch report, IDF troops at the checkpoint, located along Highway 5, stopped the Palestinian job-seekers, males aged between 14 and 50, on suspicion of trying to enter Israel along with five drivers suspected of ferrying illegals. The Palestinians were detained early in the morning, and kept standing for hours, on the grounds that "when they sit down they make trouble." They were barred from using the restrooms adjacent to the checkpoint, compelling them to use the thorny field, in plain view of those passing through the checkpoint. They were not permitted to eat and were given only water. Requests to take medication, sit down, or lean back were met with contempt or disregard by the soldiers.

In addition, the detainees' car tires were punctured in the parking lot, and some cars had speakers broken and pedals severely damaged, the report said.
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According to the IDF Spokesperson's Office, the army condemns inappropriate conduct and will review the case brought to its attention by MachsomWatch.

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      1.   Disgusting IDF behaviour at checkpoints... 06:19  |  Silvienne 14/04/08
      2.   Post this at all travel agents 07:13  |  Natallie Durson 14/04/08
      3.   ZionNazis 07:25  |  Igor 14/04/08
      4.   True love 07:26  |  MR 14/04/08
      5.   Where`s all the right wing comments? 07:27  |  Bob 14/04/08
      6.   Deep shame... 08:26  |  Esther 14/04/08
      7.   All checkpoints should have cameras like cop cars in the States. 08:46  |  d.dor 14/04/08
      8.   They Deserve It- And More 09:21  |  Yishai Kohen 14/04/08
      9.   Another job well done 09:26  |  H50 14/04/08
      10.   Comment 09:38  |  Right Wing 14/04/08
      11.   Re Bob #4 09:39  |  Esther 14/04/08
      12.   # 8 Yishai Kohen and how to continue the cycle of Violence 09:46  |  SJ 14/04/08
      13.   Re #8... Epitome of the `ugly-Israeli` ... 09:55  |  Esther 14/04/08
      14.   IDF investigates only when there are independent witnesses 09:59  |  Chanalau, Tova 14/04/08
      15.   Nothing wrong with this 10:16  |  Natalie 14/04/08
      16.   Re Yishai #8 10:25  |  Esther 14/04/08
      17.   Re Yishai #8 10:25  |  Esther 14/04/08
      18.   If this report is true... 10:25  |  JonathanInTelAviv 14/04/08
      19.   # 6 to esther...i`ve got another question... 10:39  |  eric 14/04/08
      20.   # 10 to the right wing`s comment 10:46  |  eric 14/04/08
      21.   Nothing to see here, move along 10:50  |  spyguy 14/04/08
      22.   No "Cycle Of Violence" As Long As We Crush Terrorists 10:54  |  Yishai Kohen 14/04/08
      23.   # 8 to yishai kohen 11:03  |  eric 14/04/08
      24.   MY COMMENT 11:12  |  A HASSAN 14/04/08
      25.   eighteen year old soldiers misbehave, officers need to correct 11:31  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 14/04/08
      26.   "Poor" jobseekers driving cars and getting sick on command 11:41  |  Absolute Sweden 14/04/08
      27.   Esther,stop talking,employ pal caretaker for your grandchildren 11:44  |  Absolute Sweden 14/04/08
      28.   Checkpoint 11:57  |  Steve a 14/04/08
      29.   Dear Eric in NM 11:59  |  Aviad 14/04/08
      30.   IDF is a national scandal 13:03  |  David Zeri 14/04/08
      31.   Maybe I misunderstod 13:10  |  Jackie 14/04/08
      32.   Natallie Durson - Look in the mirror and tell everyone you 13:13  |  a 14/04/08
      33.   Yes Jackie you did misunderstand 13:36  |  Sylvie 14/04/08
      34.   inappropriate conduct 13:49  |  Carol SCHELLER 14/04/08
      35.   Well, well: Read yourself... 13:52  |  A Life 14/04/08
      36.   SILVIENNE (#001) Is there any American Organization looking up 14:00  |  Gil 14/04/08
      37.   Is this exceptional. Or is it typical. 14:11  |  examiner 14/04/08
      38.   Post this to #2 14:35  |  Juliet from Derby 14/04/08
      39.   Put the guns down and be a man 14:37  |  Realistic is back! 14/04/08
      40.   There is definitely something wrong with you #15 14:37  |  Norman S 14/04/08
      41.   Muslims effect on travel 14:38  |  American Christian 14/04/08
      42.   Wrong Margie ! 14:42  |  Sean 14/04/08
      43.   I would strongly suggest an IDF age-limit of (at least) 23....... 14:44  |  Swiss (Dino) 14/04/08
      44.   Re #36: Silvienne is just another coward 15:01  |  Georgie 14/04/08
      45.   Juliet - what are you talking about? 15:07  |  Sylvie 14/04/08
      46.   The Boy that cried WOLF, WOLF 15:09  |  Gil 14/04/08
      47.   The Boy that cried WOLF, WOLF 15:10  |  Gil 14/04/08
      48.   They should have tortured the Arabs. 15:27  |  *BEN JABO 14/04/08
      49.   Sean no objectivity - at a distance of countries 15:38  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 14/04/08
      50.   Ben Jabo 16:05  |  Jacob 14/04/08
      51.   #26, Absolute Sweden. The "argument" of a spoiled brat. 16:10  |  zmogus 14/04/08
      52.   Why are you talking about nazis, 16:18  |  fab 14/04/08
      53.   Margie -learn a little before you speak 16:23  |  Sylvie 14/04/08
      54.   #14 Fails to realize 16:42  |  * BEN JABO 14/04/08
      55.   #48 IS A FAKE POST Jacob - Don`t be a moron 16:46  |  * BEN JABO 14/04/08
      56.   not a good idea 16:47  |  RM 14/04/08
      57.   agreed with fab 16:50  |  rm 14/04/08
      58.   Swiss (Dino) # 43 _ I Agree With You. Some Of These 16:55  |  Eli 14/04/08
      59.   Yishai you are an animal 17:08  |  Marilyn 14/04/08
      60.   Re Absolute #26, 27 17:35  |  Esther 14/04/08
      61.   Silvienne - Advocating terror 17:37  |  Michael Jacobs 14/04/08
      62.   #39, Realistic... 17:38  |  Silvienne 14/04/08
      63.   #49 Margie it is you who has no objectivity. 17:38  |  Deborah 14/04/08
      64.   re #9 `Another job well done` 17:39  |  Colin Wright 14/04/08
      65.   Dirty Irish Catholic exploiter Sean,you`d better try 17:40  |  Absolute Sweden 14/04/08
      66.   That is why 17:41  |  Michael N 14/04/08
      67.   Machsom Watch tells the truth about the IDF 17:45  |  Janice 14/04/08
      68.   #43 Swiss (Dino) 17:50  |  * BEN JABO 14/04/08
      69.   Jimmy Carter should visit checkpoints 18:10  |  Harold 14/04/08
      70.   reap what you sow 18:11  |  American Christian 14/04/08
      71.   There is nothing surprising about the daily humiliations 18:13  |  bernadette 14/04/08
      72.   # 38 re no #2 18:14  |  Monica L 14/04/08
      73.   What would Yishai do? 18:39  |  Janice 14/04/08
      74.   Janice "Forgets" History And Cold Hard Facts 19:21  |  Yishai Kohen 14/04/08
      75.   Re eric #19 20:10  |  Esther 14/04/08
      76.   Waiting in a checkpoint queue is nothing compared to the damage 20:16  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 14/04/08
      77.   Colonialism 101 20:34  |  Mike Friedman 14/04/08
      78.   Checkpoints should be limited to the GREEN LINE ONLY 20:43  |  Ibrahim 14/04/08
      79.   Objectivity? Waiting in a checkpoint queue is nothing compared to 20:52  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 14/04/08
      80.   Machsom Watch member are angels in this ugly place 21:05  |  David 14/04/08
      81.   Margie, you are ill fit for conflict resolution. 21:50  |  Ibrahim 14/04/08
      82.   some valid points 21:56  |  RM 14/04/08
      83.   Jackie - A war going on? 22:17  |  Stephen Connor 14/04/08
      84.   # 62 BEN JABO 22:32  |  Swiss (Dino) 14/04/08
      85.   No sympathy here 23:01  |  Nemesis 14/04/08
      86.   #4 MR.What are you rubbishing about , man 23:19  |  Joseph 14/04/08
      87.   HaAretz - get on the ball #48 is a FRAUDULENT POST 00:04  |  * BEN JABO 15/04/08
      88.   #67 Give us back our heritage then WE wont be angry 00:11  |  get real Janice 15/04/08
      89.   #25 Swiss (Dino) The ME isn`t the only area in question 00:11  |  * BEN JABO 15/04/08
      90.   Re Aviad #29 00:12  |  Esther 15/04/08
      91.   #21 Ibrahim - There is no GREEN LINE 00:14  |  * BEN JABO 15/04/08
      92.   absolute sweden 59 01:17  |  potobac 15/04/08
      93.   WE AREN`T AS BAD AS THEY ARE!!! 01:29  |  Stephen Connor 15/04/08
      94.   control 01:58  |  Sam 15/04/08
      95.   Ibrahim, pathetic angle 02:08  |  peter 15/04/08
      96.   Margie. Ibrahim is right. 02:18  |  Roo 15/04/08
      97.   potobac the bigot 02:40  |  peter 15/04/08
      98.   dear aviad in beit el 02:51  |  eric 15/04/08
      99.   # 68 to esther 03:01  |  eric 15/04/08
      100.   #71 Ibrahim - No limit to Greenline 03:12  |  * BEN JABO 15/04/08
      101.   Abbas is negotiating and IDF is humiliating 03:29  |  Bobby 15/04/08
      102.   #72, David in New York...quite right! 03:51  |  Silvienne 15/04/08
      103.   #55, Michael Jacobs.. 03:57  |  Silvienne 15/04/08
      104.   checkpoint abusses 04:36  |  Itzik 15/04/08
      105.   No such thing as being too careful 05:05  |  Jeff ward 15/04/08
      106.   to Ibrahim#73 05:55  |  Ilya 15/04/08
      107.   Natalie Durson get real 06:05  |  sabra 15/04/08
      108.   Ibrahim and his advocating of a green line 06:18  |  ELIAS KHOURY 15/04/08
      109.   A Visit To Holy Land? 07:07  |  Denise 15/04/08
      110.   # 68 to esther (2nd try) 07:15  |  eric 15/04/08
      111.   dear aviad in beit el (2nd try) 07:16  |  eric 15/04/08
      112.   Roo stop sloganeering 08:11  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 15/04/08
      113.   Peter forgot Silvienne undoubtedly the biggest fool here 08:13  |  x-ray 15/04/08
      114.   #91 INSIDE the West Bank, Margie???? 09:23  |  Johnboy 15/04/08
      115.   peter 84 09:49  |  potobac 15/04/08
      116.   to much extremists : common sence is lost 10:48  |  ffsb 15/04/08
      117.   115 potobac-this is embarassing 11:09  |  peter 15/04/08
      118.   To Margie and the pathetic Absolute racist Sweden 11:38  |  Sean 15/04/08
      119.   Sean your one dimensional analytic abilities 11:46  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 15/04/08
      120.   Huh ! Margie 12:45  |  Sean 15/04/08
      121.   #102 Machsom Watch is intentionally blind 13:29  |  * BEN JABO 15/04/08
      122.   Margie 14:01  |  Roo 15/04/08
      123.   Sean 14:02  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 15/04/08
      124.   ffsb 14:05  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 15/04/08
      125.   re margie 16:44  |  ffsb 15/04/08
      126.   Margie, now we are getting somewhere ! 17:13  |  Sean 15/04/08
      127.   #120, Sean... 17:29  |  Silvienne 15/04/08
      128.   #126, Sean... 17:32  |  Silvienne 15/04/08
      129.   Silvienne, you`ve spoilt Sean`s case 17:56  |  x-ray 15/04/08
      130.   #129, x-ray....Never mind.... 19:43  |  Silvienne 15/04/08
      131.   Silvienne - How do you explain the difference? 01:21  |  Michael Jacobs 16/04/08
      132.   #131, Michael Jacobs... 03:47  |  Silvienne 16/04/08
      133.   # 132 hey silvienne, don`t forget to mention "WATER"! 05:44  |  eric 16/04/08
      134.   # 131 p.s. to michael jacobs 05:57  |  eric 16/04/08
      135.   #133, eric, yes, water--the Israelis aren`t going without it! 16:59  |  Silvienne 16/04/08
      136.   #133, eric, yes, water--the Israelis aren`t going without it! 16:59  |  Silvienne 16/04/08
      137.   eric from nm - Troublemakers 23:30  |  Michael Jacobs 16/04/08
      138.   #137, Michael Jacobs... 00:05  |  Silvienne 17/04/08
      139.   #137, Michael Jacobs... 06:10  |  Silvienne 17/04/08
      140.   # 137 eeeeeYO! michael jacobs... 06:56  |  eric 17/04/08
      141.   They deserve it and more 08:25  |  Indian 17/04/08
      142.   #141 Indian - stop pretending 18:32  |  * BEN JABO 17/04/08
      143.   Silvienne - Which mandate? 23:47  |  Michael Jacobs 17/04/08
      144.   eric - The Arabs` failure 00:05  |  Michael Jacobs 18/04/08
      145.   #138 Silvienne - The PLO Charter isn`t defunct 06:59  |  * BEN JABO 18/04/08
      146.   #143, Michael Jacobs.. 17:01  |  Silvienne 18/04/08
      147.   #143, Michael Jacobs.. 17:01  |  Silvienne 18/04/08
      148.   Silvienne - Study, don`t just talk 20:06  |  Michael Jacobs 18/04/08
      149.   # 144 to michael jacobs 06:32  |  eric 19/04/08
      150.   * BEN JABO 08:24  |  Michael Jacobs 19/04/08
      151.   #145, Ben Jabo....what do you mean about Jerusalem? 08:28  |  Silvienne 19/04/08
      152.   #148, Michael Jacobs... 08:34  |  Silvienne 19/04/08
      153.   #151 Silvienne - It isn`t holy to them 19:17  |  * BEN JABO 19/04/08
      154.   #150 Michael Jacobs - Netherlands 22:52  |  * BEN JABO 19/04/08
      155.   Silvienne - Islam accepts neither democracy nor secularism 11:24  |  Michael Jacobs 20/04/08
      156.   Racism statements have nothing to do 14:02  |  Manolo 03/06/08
      157.   #28 - steve a - you ignore critical difference 22:16  |  Don 15/03/09
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