Armed Israeli settlers, in civilian clothes, were seen helping Israeli soldiers in searching Palestinian vehicles and checking ID numbers of Palestinians at a number of military roadblocks leading to the Ramallah district, in the central West Bank. The Palestinian Maan News Agency reported that dozens of settlers in civilian clothes, carrying automatic rifles, stood next to the Israeli soldiers at the Bet El Roadblock, north east of Ramallah, and even searched Palestinian vehicles and examined the ID cards of the passengers. Israel settlers usually conduct "patrols" on several roads in the occupied West Bank, but are always accompanied by Israeli soldiers. This is the first time that some of the settlers actually participate in tasks that are the sole responsibility of the army.