Qalandiya, Tue 24.1.12, Morning

Date: 24/01/2012 ,Morning

Observers: Ina F., Avital T. (reporting)

Qalandiya

three kilometers south of Ramallah, in the heart of Palestinian population. Integrates into "Jerusalem Envelope" as part of Wall that separates between northern suburbs that were annexed to Jerusalem in 1967: Kafr Aqab, Semiramis and Qalandiya, and the villages of Ar-Ram and Bir Nabala, also north of Jerusalem, and the city itself. Some residents of Kafr Aqab, Semiramis and Qalandiya have Jerusalem ID cards.

A terminal operated by Israel Police has functioned since early 2006. As of August 2006, northbound pedestrians are not checked. Southbound Palestinians must carry Jerusalem IDs; holders of Palestinian Authority IDs cannot pass without special permits. Vehicular traffic from Ramallah to other West Bank areas runs to the north of Qalandiya.

Click here to watch a video from Qalandiya checkpoint.

Close description

trans. Judith Green

6:00

This morning the biting wind and freezing cold became the ordinary chill of winter.

Long and quiet lines al the way to the parking lot. At this hour, dozens of people keep coming, on their way to work. Soon the students will also arrive. Is this going to go on, unchanging, forever?

The Ecumenical volunteer tells us that one lane was closed for a short time, immediately causing a delay in the process, and the line increased and seems completely unbearable. But everyone is quiet and experienced, recognizing a more brutal hand controlling things today at the checkpoint. In a few minutes, the officer from the DCO arrives and then a police officer as well. The Humanitarian gate will be opened from now on, every few minutes, and hundreds of people will pass through it as though everything is normal. And maybe we are mistaken, and they are actually on their way to the train (and maybe Israeli Railroads is actually working the checkpoints?) After the difficult morning hour, everyone goes forward and there is a feeling of common relief surrounds the checkpoint and the various people waiting there - today, there is a chance of arriving in time and have a transient feeling of being in a different country.

Children - for almost an hour, between 6:15-7:10 - 90 children went through the checkpoint. Mostly teenagers, some of them elementary school children, and a few small children with their parents. When the Humanitarian gate is open in a regular fashion, the feeling is different, everyone is relaxed and pleasant and greets each other with "shalom".