Maltreatment

Translator:  Charles K.

6:30-10:00

A lot has been happening recently in the village of a-Tuwwani.  We decided to devote today’s shift to visiting the village.  Despite our long acquaintance with the villagers, despite our joint struggle (like other peace groups and human rights organizations) over their right to remain there and live safely, we are shocked anew each time by the maliciousness and obtuseness of the behavior toward them by the state and its institutions.

Their only sin is that they live at the foot of the notorious settlements of Ma’on and Ma’on Farm, and that among their houses are archaeological remains from the Roman and Byzantine periods (what Israeli locality doesn’t sit on an archaeological site?). 

A bit of history

After considerable struggles and the involvement of many parties, it was finally agreed to connect them to a water supply (they depend primarily on cisterns). But lo and behold, when excavations had just begun to lay the pipes, someone remembered that the location was in fact an archaeological site worth researching.  What’s more important?  Water for people (non-Jews) or the remains of a synagogue thousands of years old?  You guessed right.  So they stopped preparing the infrastructure for the water supply, and stuck a sign from the Antiquities Authority in the middle of someone’s yard,  and dug.  Now we have an important site.  You can’t touch it; you can only make a pilgrimage.

Last Friday, 3.2.12, a group of tourists arrived on a tour run by In the Bible’s Pathways, from Sussia.  They first went to Yata to see the pools from the time of Nabal HaCarmeli, and then came to see the remains of the ancient synagogue in a-Tuwwani.  “Did anyone let you know, try to coordinate with you?,” we asked the people whose yard had become sanctified.  “No,” they replied in surprise.  The buses parked at the entrance to the village, the group entered on foot accompanied by police and soldiers.  They prayed and sounded shofars.  Yehoshofat Tor and his brother from Havvat Ma’on, and settlers from Ma’on,  joined them;  they never miss an opportunity to enter a-Tuwwani and harass its residents .  After an hour and a half of uproar, they left.

“What about the water pipe?  When will they connect you?”, we asked.  “Who knows,” they reply.

Anyway, who really cares?  Everything’s  legal…

That Friday night about 25 more olive trees near their houses were mysteriously cut down, as well as another 15 located farther away.  The people from Tuwwani complained to the police.  Last night, at midnight, they heard noises and went to see what it was.  “Police, army,” they were told, “Go back inside.”

Yes, they came.  To guard?  To arrest settlers?  “Go home, go home,” yelled the law enforcement officials to the settlers; that’s what the residents heard.  The security forces were there until 3 AM, chasing the rioters away.  No one was arrested.  That’s how it was day after day, night after  night.

Again, a stupid question:  Would they behave that way if Palestinians dared damage Jewish property?

A bit more history

Since 1981, when Ma’on was established, and then the adjoining farm, the residents of a-Tuwwani “benefit” from the blows of those “dear ones.”  It began with polluting wells with chicken carcasses, then uprooting olive trees, and finally harassing and frightening children coming from nearby localities to attend school in the village.

Since 2004, thanks to the efforts by Hagit Beck, the residents and the Knesset children Committee at that time, a solution of genius was devised, to which the IDF agreed and was forced to carry out till now, namely – every morning an IDF jeep and soldiers accompany the children coming from Umm Tuba who have to pass by Ma’on on their way to school.

We welcomed the solution.  It was better than nothing.  But we thought:  Our wise men of Chelm haven’t considered (they don’t dare) preventing the thugs from Havvat Ma’on from lashing out at the children.  It’s simpler, fairer and cheaper to provide a military escort every morning for a group of school children.

Has one of us ever  tried to apply that formula where we are?

That’s how things have been since then.

So what’s happened in the interim?  Residents of Tuwwani say that recently the army hasn’t shown up at all, or arrived late, and the children, who were supposed to be escorted at 7:30 AM so they’ll reach school on time, are late or return home because they’re afraid to go unescorted.

A phone call to Col. Guy Hazut, the commander of the Judea brigade, to hear the IDF’s version.  “We’re taking care of it,” he promises me.  “I spoke with my soldiers, who are angry at the valuable time wasted.  They’re the ones waiting, the children are late or don’t show up at all.  Why doesn’t anyone complain about that?”  And he also said that the activity comes at the expense of operations, and that the school bus of the Southern Hebron Hills Regional Council is also late sometimes because of security reasons.  “It happens,” says Col. Hazut.

“It’s 7:45 AM,” I tell him, “there’s no jeep and no children.  They’ll be late to school today also.”

We’re taking care of it, he says again.

It’s almost 8 AM; we hear the children merry in the distance.  The longed-for military jeep is visible on the horizon.  They’ll be late to school today as well.  Men belonging to a peace organization also arrive; they’ve been accompanying the children and observing what’s happening.  They also report on the army’s behavior.  We asked them to give us daily reports, and photos, if possible.  Let’s hope that, confronted by facts in real time, the army will carry out the agreement it made.

____________________

The following is an update from the school patrol of yesterday morning, 05/02/2012. The escort was 50 minutes late. The children waited alone in a dangerous location where in the past they were attacked by the settlers.  Where the army jeep should have been waiting, two settlers stood shouting and whistling to frighten the children. After this incident the children returned to the village of Tuba because the settlers stayed near the chicken barns. The escort didn't arrive at the end of barns to meet the students and didn't complete its entire route, but instead left when it was near Ma’on’s greenhouses. Ma'on’s security chief also followed the children at a distanceOperation dove team

Operation Dove - Nonviolent Peace Corps
Palestine/Israel
Ass. Comunità Papa Giovanni XXIII
 www.operationdove.org

Translated Dvora K.

A cold rainy day.

Summary:

The person responsible for security in the settlement of Maskiyot continues to make trouble for the residents in the area, in collaboration with military units serving in the region. Last week there were two incidents in which he initiated the illegal arrest of shepherds for 4-5 hours, and soldiers actually carried it out. In both cases they did not call the police, and that's proof that there was no legal reason for the deed. After 'the punishment was applied in full', the shepherds were freed to go home.

We heard complaints about unnecessary delays at the Tyasir CP. We ourselves saw an eight-minute halt in which no vehicle could go through the CP; there was no apparent reason for this. This was after we had left the CP and stopped to observe from a distance.

Gochiya Gate again was not opened until 15:45.

Tapuach Junction–11.25

There are no inspections. Near the guard tower that overlooks the road before Ossrin, a military vehicle is parked

Kussara

We met a man who told us that the Palestinian police are pursuing him, claiming that he is a collaborator [with Israel]. He was arrested several times and has spent time in jail. That is why he is having a hard time earning a livelihood for his family. His brother was killed by the Palestinian Authorities because he too was accused of collaboration. At the entrance to Kussara there is a  second hand goods store, for which the name 'second hand' is too grand. The items for sale are terribly ragged things that somebody has brought from the flee market in Jaffe and sells here.

Ma'aleh Efraim – 12.10:

There is no inspection. A military vehicle is parked near the CP. We did not see any inspections on our way back either.

Hamra CP – 12.30

A white Brinks van is parked near the CP and bars the left lane. When we returned it was still parked there in the same place. While we stayed there was a steady stream of people and cars in the usual speed. The passengers get out of the cars which come from the west, go through the pedestrian CP and wait for their vehicles in the cold rain for several minutes. Every time they refurbished the CP, no one has thoughtto have consideration for the thousands of people who go through the CP daily, whether they wish to or not, and must wait in the cold and in the rain in winter, and in the terrible heat of the summer.

The vehicles that come from the east, from the direction of area A, are not inspected.

In the encampment opposite Maskiyot: three weeks ago we talked with a shepherd who's been arrested illegally by R., the security person from Maskiyot, who was helped by a group of soldiers who actually carried out the arrest. This was done with the excuse that he'd come too close to the settlement fence with his herd. The shepherd was held in the CP for three hours, and then released.

Last Friday, he was arrested again. In the middle of the day he was taken from his herd which was left without anybody to watch it, for four hours.

In another encampment we were told about another case of a shepherd taken to the Tyasir CP – again on the initiative of R., who called on the army to make the arrest. The shepherd phoned N. from the Association for Human Rights. She arrived at the Tyasir CP but he was taken to the Hamra CP with the claim that he doesn't have an ID card and was kept there for five hoursa lltogether. In the end, he was released and no complaint was submitted to the police.

The same woman from the Association for Human Rights is calling a meeting of the Bedouin who live in the area in order to explain to them what their rights are and how they can fight for them. We appealed to the organization 'Yesh Din' ['There is Law'] after we received the agreement of the people involved to put in a complaint.

Tyasir CP – 13:50

When we arrived at the CP it was empty of cars. During the time we were there a few cars went through at the usual speed.

14:20– Three cars have already been waiting for five minutes and not a single one goes through. Only after an unexplained pause of eight minutes did the traffic begin to move.

Before this the residents of the encampments, who have to go through the CP regularly, told us that there are long delays to get to the urban center of Tubas . Somebody told us that yesterday at 10:00, not a rush hour for traffic, he's waited at the CP for about an hour, on a tractor open to the wind and the cold.

Guchiya Gate – 15:10

The gate is closed. We rang Zaharan at the Jericho DCO every ten minutes. He spoke with the person responsible for sending the soldiers to open the gate. They told him that the soldiers had been sent there, but none arrived. Those who needed to go through the gate did not get there either, because they knew it would not be opened.

Translation: Ruth Fleishman

We were last in line, waiting for the turnstiles to open so that we could pass into the inner inspection area. Neither we nor the people before us had noticed that the soldiers' post had been abandoned and the revolving mechanism was disconnected. Only one child who had passed through the gate before his mother had, stood on the other side, all alone, there was no going forward or backward. The child was entrapped.
During the first moments the child smiled with embarrassment, and then the smile was replaced by a worried gaze. He brought his body closer to his mother who was standing on the other side of the metal bars, took her hand and grabbed it tightly like a life preserving anchor.
The Palestinians, who are used to the arbitrariness by which the place is run, moved to the parallel inspection lane with acceptance. We stayed with the mother, cetin that within a minute or two the problem would be resolved. After all everything that happens in the checkpoint is filmed and broadcasted live to the plasma screens of those who run the site.
We were wrong.

The tears that started streaming down the cheeks of the child caused us to hurry and make some calls. We thought that as soon as we inform the hot lines the child would be released.
We were wrong again.

They all gave us the same answer: "I'm making inquiries".
We called again: "I'm making inquiries".
After twenty minutes, after having promised the mother and her son that "any moment now…"- "they will just look at their camera and someone will come and press the button…", "But I've only now explained to them, they are making inquiries and it will all be alright…", we understood that there was no telling how long the child will remain entrapped and detached from his mother, and Roni went to the parallel lane to request the help of the soldier sitting there, while I stayed with the mother and kept trying to talk to the people at the hot lines who over and over again could understand and connected me with the officer in charge, who also didn't understand and we ended up having an incomprehensive dialog.
-    The officer: "what is the name of his mother?"
-    Me: "I don't know"
-    The officer: "how will I identify him?"
-    Me: "He has two legs… why do you need to identify him?- just let go!!"
-    The officer: "wait, I don't understand, explain again, is he in the red zone?- where does he want to go to?"

Nearly thirty minutes later a solider from the offices was sent to press the releasing button. But before pressing he insisted on explaining that actually: "the child is to blame. He shouldn't have passed to the other side on his own". Not only was it the victims fault, but it was possible to prolong his suffering and put forth the occupier's narrative.

No one believes the Palestinians. That's why they are always equipped with a bundle of documents that prove their disabilities, their situation and their very existence.
Such was the 71 year old person from Jerusalem, a disabled and sick man who has difficulty walking and waiting in the cramped lines of Qalandiya only makes it harder for him.
The man presented before us his disability certificate, as proof of his bad health and told us how he is mistreated at the passage for residents of Jerusalem, where in spite regulations that allow the disabled elderly and pregnant women to remain seated in the bus, he is force to come down, walk to the pedestrians' checkpoint, stand in line, pass the turnstiles and be inspected (again) by the soldier.
"Write down what I'm telling you. Write it down"- he asked.

Translator:  Charles K.

Two weeks ago we wanted to go to Ras a-Tira and Ras A-Tiya.  Hisham, our friend, asked that we not come because of an internal family problem involving the two villages.  We only went to Ras A-Tiya, promised to be in touch again and today were guests of Hisham at his home in Ras A-Tira.

12:55  Habla.  The gate is still closed.  Eight people, a horse cart and a donkey cart are waiting.  Eleven people waiting on the village side.  A Hummer arrives; only two soldiers emerge.  The Hummer drives off to get the MP, without whom they won’t open the gates.

13:05  A bus approaches.  We watch it curiously and see Daniela and Neta leading a Machsom Watch tour for 23 English speakers – of all ages.

Meanwhile we talk to the two soldiers.  One’s a new immigrant from the US, has been in Israel for a year, the other an immigrant from Ethiopia, five years in Israel.  The exiles ingathered at the checkpoint.

13:20  The military vehicle returns, the MP’s emerge, open the inspection booth.  The first six people go through in a few minutes.  Before we leave I asked the MP whether we can cross to Habla with the car.  He refuses.  I ask how to reach the village; via Qalqilya, he says.

13:40  Eliyahu crossing.  Only a few cars go through.

14:30  Ras a-Tira.  A conversation at Hisham’s home:

Electric poles were recently erected on private land.  Around each pole, 3-4 dunums of agricultural land were stolen.  The poles provide electricity to the settlements.  An electrical installation was built in the village, in coordination with the Israel Electric Company, based on plans that were approved, on land purchased for that purpose.  All the infrastructure required for a low-tension installation was prepared.  Six months later he was invited to a meeting and told that the Electric Company changed its mind, and wants a high-tension installation.  That means starting over, large expenses and wasted time.  (Tsvia and Dalya were in contact with Hisham and tried to help).  In a meeting at the DCO, representatives of the village were told they would be granted NIS 500,000, but Salam Fayad wasn’t willing to take money from Israel.  Politics.  Today their electricity comes from Habla (low tension), and they’re satisfied.

Hisham had a permit to work in Israel.  It was cancelled in June.  He was told he’s blacklisted, but wasn’t told why.  Four contractors wanted him to work, but he didn’t get a permit.  We gave him phone numbers of MW members who might be able to help.

Olive harvest – 200 permits were applied for (the village has 500 inhabitants); only 76 were granted.  Part of the crop remained on the trees because the gates are closed and the owners of the groves have no way to reach them.  Many residents cultivate lands registered in the name of their father or grandfather.  Some applied for permits through an attorney, submitting inheritance documents but the lands aren’t registered in their names so they’re not entitled to permits.  Most of the lands are on the other side of the fence.  A few received permits for a year, but most got them for only a month even though the groves must be worked throughout the year.  This year they didn’t get help from volunteers during the harvest season.

In November, during the recent harvest, a fire that began near Giv’at Tal and spread south destroyed many of Ras a-Tira’s olive trees.  The Palestinians sent fire engines but the soldiers who arrived at the gate said they’d forgotten the key…the fire continued to spread.  Since most of the residents lacked permits to reach their plots during the year, the groves were full of high weeds and thistles, which helped the fire spread quickly.

It’s been a little quieter recently.  Six months ago the IDF/Border Police used to enter the village at night with sirens and loud music, waking everyone.

The fence is a daily annoyance.  Is it for security??  Hisham asks: if it’s to protect the inhabitants of Alfei Menashe, why isn’t there a fence around Alfei Menashe?  Why do they build fences on private land and separate the village from its lands?  Some 2500 dunums have already been stolen from the residents of Ras a-Tira.  The court ordered their return.  While the fence was moved, despite its promises the army didn’t repair the damage that had been caused.

16:00  We go up to Hisham’s roof to look out over the area, and then he and his cousin take us around.  We see the former route of the fence, before the IDF relocated it.  It was a pile of ruins; the IDF was to have removedthe debris and cleanedthe area.  That, of course, didn’t happen, and the owner of the land cleared it himself and planted new olive trees.  The gate next to that plot is always closed (No. 1327), open only during the harvest season.

We meet the owner of the olive trees that had been burned.  He wants to erect a greenhouse for vegetables on his land.  He received a permit to use the gate that’s always closed…Duh…where are we – Chelm?

17:30  Eliyahu crossing.  Nothing

Translator: Suzanne O.

A visit to Kafr A Dik after the army 'Intifada'

Following this is a report of our visit to the Azzun Atma roadblock.  Unfortunately we didn't get to Haris.  (See request from a man from Haris at the end of the report.)

 We set out at 3:00 p.m., in order to find out what is going on at the Azzun Atma roadblock.  However, beforehand we went to Kafr A Dik because we were told that the army had just left there after demolishing two buildings and a rainwater well.

"We had an army Intifada here", we were told.

We went into the village, there beside the council a resident of the village met us and took us to where the terrorist act took place.

It was a long way along an unpaved lane between hills and rocks, under the tunnel and on the hill, between the beautifully tended olive groves.  Wonderful scenery!

We arrived at the ruins, it turns out that it was not a dwellings but a social meeting place in the heart of the countryside.

"We don't have anywhere to go to have a good time like you do, so we made ourselves a place.  Who does it bother?  I asked a soldier: why do you come over here every day, it just annoys us.  And he answered: That's the idea…"

"Make a film about us so that everyone knows and sees what goes on here".  We tried to explain that there are indeed people who make such films, but there is not much of an audience for them… to our shame.

We took both stills photos and a video.  I have to edit the video and it will take time.

The Report:

At 4:30 p.m. we arrived at Azzun Atma roadblock.  It is nothing like it was two weeks ago.

Reservists are stationed there and they work efficiently.  The queue is short and it moves and progresses satisfactorily.  We spoke to the soldiers.  They told us that in the morning the labourers cross this roadblock from the West Bank to the area of the juncture with Israeli territory, from there they can move into Israel with no problems.

Therefore, in the morning, the inspection is more stringent and it is more crowded.  In contrast, in the evening as they return from the Israeli territory to the West Bank, it is less stringent and therefore the queue moves faster.

However, when we started to leave Palestinians told us "Come every day, the queue moves more quickly when you are here…"

This completed our shift.  Although we wanted to go to Haris, where buildings were demolished today, dusk directed us homewards.

It is very desirable for members to go to Haris and contact the resident at the number we published.

Translator:  Charles K.

Waiting for God and the third intifada

13:00 - Habla

Palestinian women prostitutes in Israel???

A Palestinian man (who seemed to have been speaking for a long time; we arrived late):  …The day will come when they’ll be trampled underfoot.  You’ll see.  What kind of world is this? – I need permission to access my own land?!

“Now the Jew is in charge.  Not forever.  The soldiers are Satan’s emissaries.  They’re the emissaries of Satan in the world.  There will be an explosion in Nablus.  In Qalqilya.  There will be explosions everywhere.  People here have no food.  People have gone through and haven’t returned.  Women have gone through and haven’t returned.”  Seeing our uncomprehending expression, he explains:  “Women crossed to Israeland became prostitutes.  The time will come when they won’t be silent.  A woman who leaves her children – who’ll feed them if she gets sick?  They’ll learn to steal.  To do bad things.  You’re forcing us into it.  The Jews should… [curses], the Arabs should also… [different curse].  God won’t help us because we don’t heed him.  I read the Koran – the Moslems once ruled.  When we heeded God.  God asks the same things from Moslems, from Jews and from Christians as well.  Read the Koran.  No one helps us.  Only God will help when we heed him.  People in Africahave no water.  I still do.  The poor, wretched Africans.”

 13:10  The school bus returns.

Our friend prefers a jumpy Natan Zehavi and Carmela Menashe.

A Ramin, the Bedouin village which exists only so its inhabitants can be harassed and its buildings demolished.

We brought clothing for families whose buildings had been demolished.  “At 11 last night, while we slept, soldiers came and woke us, asked for our documents.  We must complain to the higher-ups.  UNRWA and the Red Cross provided tents and food for the children.  A week ago, someone from the Civil Administration at Beit Al Amar: Next month I’m issuing you a demolition order.  The tent is also illegal.  They don’t let us live.  We work in Alfei Menashe.  NIS250 per day, as gardeners, in construction.  The family moved here in 1960 from Beersheba.  The sheep had no grass.  Now there are few sheep, no grazing land.”  He doesn’t listen to Arab radio stations.  But he listens faithfully to Natan Zehavi and Carmela Menashe.  “That Carmela – someone whose head is clogged, she’ll talk it open.  Maybe you have Channel 10’s phone number.  Maybe they’ll help if something happens.”

“Once I thought: Jews and Arabs – brothers until death.  Today – if only there would be an intifada.”

15:10 – Ras Atiya

[A resident of Azzun described in detail the shortest route to Ras Atiya.  How astonished he was to learn we’re not allowed to enter Habla.  His expression said:  I’ve never heard of anything so ridiculous.]

A new acquaintance, a resident of Ras Atiya, tells us we’ve come at a difficult time.  An elderly man has been killed.  They’re afraid more people will be killed.  [The background – a blood feud; no one know how it will end].  The Palestinian police can’t do their job and protect people’s lives because their mobility is restricted by the occupying army.

The army enters the village from time to time and prevents people from accessing their lands.  They sometimes come at two in the morning, at three.  They sound an alarm.  The soldiers’ faces are painted black.  If they catch someone, he could be detained for three hours.

The village has 1900 inhabitants.  Hundreds applied for permits during the olive harvest, but only 25(!) were granted.  Children also need a permit.  There’s no alternative – some abandon the crop, others pay half the crop to those who have permits.  The permits are granted arbitrarily.  Some get a permit for three months, others for a year, “depending on how they feel, how it was in bed with the wife.”  Landowners can’t carry out other agricultural activities because of a lack of a supportive economic infrastructure.  No one will compensate them for damages caused by weather (unlike in proper countries).  So someone who erects a greenhouse that’s carried off by the wind has lost everything.  He hasn’t yet even repaid his NIS12,000 loan.  Some have abandoned farming because of the miniscule return – NIS5 for a crate of tomatoes.

People say the magnetic cards are phony.  They’re only for the occupier’s benefit, so they can get a current photo and fingerprint.  Renewing a magnetic card costs NIS120.  The scanners are carcinogenic.

The most obvious fact is how many locals have been blacklisted by the Shabak.  That outrages and astonishes people we speak to because not even one stone was thrown here.  There’s no way to find out why someone was blacklisted.  The four people we spoke to have all been blacklisted.  Lawyers charge them very high fees, promise nothing and do nothing.  Who can afford to throw NIS32,000 to the winds?  Sometimes it turns out that the police have nothing against someone, but that’s not the case with the Shabak.  And, as you know, the Shabak doesn’t have to account to anyone.  The usual response:  “You’re blacklisted for 99 years.”  There are many collaborators in the village (and elsewhere as well).  Someone who refuses to collaborate can expect to be blacklisted permanently.

One man says:  “I worked in Israeluntil 2000.  I was a contractor.  Life was good.  I worked during the day and enjoyed myself at night.  I loved the Tel Aviv promenade.  I loved Jews so much I wanted to convert.  I once said, ‘We’re brothers unto death.’  Today – they can…[curses]. I hope an intifada will erupt.  I’m already 30, and still haven’t done anything with my life.  Go to sleep and wake up, go to sleep and wake up - that’s a life?  That’s no life.  The collaborator turned my life black.  I’d kill that informer if I knew who he was.  The whole problem is when you’re not a collaborator.  The terror is your fault.  When there’s nothing to eat, why are you surprised that someone will blow themselves up so their family receives $100,000.  You don’t want security.  In my heart I say:  ‘Lord, bring back the intifada.’”

Our interlocutor refuses to return with us via the absurd route we took.  He insists on taking us a faster way.  No one stopped us.  As he promised.

.

16:00:  When we reached Qalandiya we found only one passageway open in the pedestrian CP.  Passageway 4 was quite full.  Then we heard an announcement over the PA system that another passageway was opening.  But the soldier making the announcement did not quite know which passageway would open.  First he announced Passageway 2 and then Passageway 1 and finally Passageway 3.  Those waiting at the end of the line in Passageway 4 began running to and fro in a desperate attempt to shorten the waiting time, but in the meantime no new passageway was opened.  It was like watching an experimenter torturing his lab animals, or like someone making a horrible joke.  We began phoning:  first the passageway unit (the female soldier who answered had no idea what was happening), then headquarters (where they promised to make inquiries) and finally a new phone number where a man name Ya'akov answered and promised to intervene and resolve the difficulties.  (He was very nice, but not very quick about fulfilling his promises.)

After a quarter of an hour we began to see signs that Passageway 1 would be opened.  In no time there were 40 men, women and children waiting in line.  The female soldier in the "aquarium" announced that those in line should go to Passageway 4, and only when about half of those waiting had done so did she finally open the carousel and begin to process those on line.

When Passageway 1 began operating, the soldiers in Passageway 4 decided to call it a day and began organizing themselves to finish their shift:  they stopped letting people into the examination area, began to put on their ceramic vests and then sat down in their armchairs for a pleasant conversation.  We began another round of phone calls:  Ya'akov promised to set things straight, headquarters continued to inquire and the passageway unit said that they were taking care of the situation.  After another 10 minutes we phoned headquarters yet again.  Someone there must have phoned the soldiers in Passageway 4 because they finished their conversation and opened the carousel allowing people to enter the examination area.  At 16:50 things looked as though they were settling into a routine and the lines started to shrink.  Natanya and I went out to the parking lot.  On the other side of the CP we could see that the line of bus passengers was also quite long.

We saw a Palestinian ambulance in the vehicle CP and a Jerusalem ambulance awaiting its arrival in the bus parking lot.  Passage was not too long.  Within several minutes the Palestinian ambulance drove up, its passenger was transferred and continued on his way.
At 17:05 we returned to see what was happening in the CP.  Passageway 4 was closed and all the people had transferred to Passageway 1.  There were about 30 people in line, but the soldiers were working and the line was moving.

Translator:  Charles K.

In the midst of the disturbing silence we again examined the path between the apartheid stairs to the Cordova School to the neighborhood of the Tel Rumeida settlers, where a sign is posted restricting its use to Jews.

The soldiers are quiet today.

Suddenly a settler appears, coming down the road.  He pastes a poster on the decorated concrete wall which attempts to hide Hebron, the lively city at the foot of the hill. The poster recounts the injustice committed by the government against the settlers by limiting the Jewish settlement in the Hebron, compared to the excessive rights granted to the Palestinians. The soldier watching him talks on the phone about what the settler is doing.  In response to my question, the soldier says he’s obligated to report any such activity no matter who does it, and he’s checking to see whether the man is entitled to paste up the poster.  We learned something.

The unfortunate Cossack pastes up a second poster, this time on Shuhada Street, not far from Gross Square.  It explains why the adjoining shop had been closed.  We kept our eye on this energetic man.  He’d already reached the Cave of the Patriarchs and was preparing to paste up another poster containing the settlers’ pearls of wisdom.  To our surprise, Border Police soldiers prohibit him from doing so.  The order “came down,” arriving after he’d pasted the two previous posters.

We met Yehuda Shaul, from “Breaking the Silence,” who had come to show some VIP around.  We suggested he go look at the new posters.

The poor settlers have to convince people that their actions are justified.  They seem to feel they’re now really under attack.

A cup of tea with ‘Abed revives us somewhat and we leave this city.

We returned via Highway 317 and reached the Metzudat Yehuda checkpoint.  Merchandise crosses here, a few Jews and some Palestinian families living near Beit Yatir.  We waited in vain for the pupils.  Today, as it happened, they finish very late, and we can’t wait.  But once again we were exposed to the settlers’ behavior:  “Who are you?  What are you doing here?,” asks a settler passing by who stops next to us.  “Why should we answer you?”  “I wanted to invite you for coffee.”  How nice; really, really sweet!  He waves goodbye and drives on.  Who among us would dare ask a passer-by at the entrance to our town what he’s up to?!  The lords of the land are convinced it’s their right and their duty.

Meanwhile, cars go by.  The Jews are stopped, greeted and then drive on.

A Palestinian family arrives; since it’s one of the few permitted to cross into Israel, they’re certainly known to the soldiers.  They’re asked for ID cards, and their vehicle is inspected.

Translation: Yael S.

Translation: Ruth Fleishman

The Gate of Mercy or Palestinians have Patience in Abundance. Life they scarcely have.

An hour and twenty minutes is a lot of time when you are at the checkpoint and you advance only by twenty meters, given that it's not even the rush hour and most people are heading towards Palestine and not out of it.
After years of experience you know better than to wonder about that which is beyond you and which you will never understand. Only the soldier in the glassed post, who was driven out of his bubble by boredom, tried to explain: "It's in accordance with the orders… yes, the checkpoint commanders can see through their plasma screens everything that is going on both inside and outside… it's probably because the computers crashed…"  The soldier also showed some compassion for the parents of an ill baby who kept coughing and suffocating from the cough, they were on their way to get treatment in a hospital and when hearing their cry he opened the bullet proofed window, clenched the fingers of his right hand together and signaled them: just a moment…
The concerned parents stood in front of the post trying to shield their son from the Qalandiya chill and waiting for the "Gate of Mercy" to open. From time to time the distressed father would shout out to the soldier, and he would display once again the same signal with his hand, as if to say: patience…

Palestinians have Patience in Abundance. Life they scarcely have.
After only half an hour the gate opened for them, but not before an officer made sure that the infant's parents were "Kosher" and presented no danger to the safety of the Israeli state.

"In spite of it all I was lucky":
The "in spite of it all" which A mentioned to us, is his daily queuing up in the lines of Qalandiya, when finishing his day at work in Ramallah and returning to his home in East Jerusalem a journey that takes three hours.
The "in spite of it all" is also the constant threat, expressed or hidden, each time when A has to renew his permit to stay in Israel under family reunification (-such a long name for such a malevolent procedure) and when A recites before the person who will verdict whether he will receive the rod or grace: "I'm clean…", he is told that according to the computer, as a child he threw a stone. The throwing of the stone stands for the original sin that is always before him. And once, due to his infant crime he was denied the permit and only a lawyer could annul this harsh sentence, for that time.
The "in spite of it all" is also the pain he feels for his son who is bullied by Jewish children at his tennis lessons: "He is an Arab".
But mostly, the "in spite of it all" is the uncertainty and the fragility what the future holds for him and his family.  

And A told us: "in spite of it all I was lucky, since four years ago they discovered I had cancer in my stomach, because I have a permit, I got treatment at Augusta Victoria and not at the West Bank".

- A Kid's Toys:
"What have you got there?" the tens of people cramped at the metal bars heard the soldier say.
"A kid's toys", replied the interrogated person.
While grasping his son by his hand the man stood at the bullet proofed window, behind which sat the interrogator.
"Then open it so I can see!" said the soldier.
The man let go of his six year old son and the content of the bags was taken out according to her orders. There were neatly folded clothes as well as some toys in plastic wrappings.
"Spread it all over the floor!" screamed the soldier.
One by one the clothes and toys were placed on the filthy floor at the soldier's feet. The child, of whom the father let go, cramped himself to the wall, embraced a plastic rifle and looked straight into the lost eyes of his humiliated father standing in front of him.

-His time- Her time:
"I've been standing here for an hour…" complained a young man who reached the soldier's window, and she put forth before him a speech of reproof that was heard from one side of the checkpoint to the other: "You've been standing here for an hour? Really??? Do you know how long I've been here? Take a guess! Come on, guess! – Throw a number!- Got nothing to say! Then I'll tell you, I've been here for twelve hours! All day, all day, twelve hours! It's a little more than an hour, isn't it? Then that's it, no more complaints from you!"
The young man picked his belongings from the convey belt and made himself scares as the soldier finally said: "I need to pee!"