About that route in ‘the runners’ valley’ (the witness had mentioned a valley through which Palestinians tried to get from Nablus to the neighboring villages during closure) – people did a lot of silly things out there. The guard shifts were 8-8 (eight hours’ shift, eight hours’ break), so people got burned out. Sometimes, we were put on guard duty and it wasn’t a real checkpoint, it was just a junction, and we’d sit in the dirt.

Was it a permanent checkpoint? It wasn’t a checkpoint with infrastructure, it was just [being present] at the junction itself. When we’d see someone sneaking through the valley, we’d run towards him.

What were the rules of engagement regarding these runners? We were allowed to fire at the tires.

Were they always in vehicles, or did they go on foot as well? No, sometimes they were on foot. It was during our training period. Sometimes we’d be sent out without a commander and one of our soldiers would be appointed commander at that post. Naturally, it caused harm. Lots of bullshit took place there. For example, we’d catch a runner, take his car, do all kinds of things to the car.

Can you recall a case where you took the car? Yes. I remember lots of cases. I remember that once, two soldiers took a car and the company commander’s jeep drove by and saw the car. He didn’t see the soldiers inside the car and started chasing it.

With the soldiers inside? Yes. He didn’t know that the soldiers were inside. He thought it was one of the runners.

Did he catch them eventually? No, they managed to escape into the village. Things happened there that you only see in the movies.

How often were cars taken? A lot. We were doing 8-8 shifts out there, we were there all day. So it was taking cars when we got bored, or shooting teargas towards Askar, a refugee camp east of Nablus.

About the cars – what would happen to the Palestinians? Where would the owner be during that time? That’s an issue in itself. Often we’d take him out [of the car], tie him up. Various soldiers thought, I don’t know why, that it was funny to make him run around a bit, the way you do to soldiers.

For how long? An hour or two.

Where would the Palestinian driver be while the soldiers took a ride? He was taken out of the car.

He would just stay there? Yes.

And the car would be brought back in one piece? No. Several times, it happened that the car crashed into one of the boulders there. It wasn’t a road, it was in this valley, it wasn’t really a place for cars.

Were the cars damaged? A lot of times, yes. Once, a car got stuck in a kind of ditch.

And what is the Palestinian told? He sees it, he can see that his car is stuck. There’s nothing to say to him. It’s uncomfortable.

Were ever on one of those rides? Yes.

And what happened there, do you remember? I remember that the guy behind the wheel was driving really fast. It was this kind of game. Not that I’m justifying it … The soldiers were really burnt-out mentally. They’re doing these 8-8 shifts and suddenly you get a car, so you go wild.

For how long? It really varies. Until you get tired of it.