Ar-Ram, Qalandiya, Aug.9, 2007, morningObservers: Millie M., Tamar A. (reporting)6:30-8:457:05-6:55 – the “old” checkpoint Ar-RamThe checkpoint is facing in the direction of Ar-Ram. Drivers have toslalom around the metal spikes set up. One long-body truck in front ofus is having trouble doing this. When we “naïvely” ask the BP soldierwhy they’re set up in such a way, she answers “that’s the checkpoint –if we didn’t do this they would escape.”The exit to Ar-Ram is almost deserted.Checkpoint Qalandiya 7:10-8:10 – When we arrive there is a line of 10-15 vehicles. There are 4 checkingstations for pedestrians, each with a line of about 20 people waiting.Before the metal “carousel” leading to the exit about 25people are waiting, having been given permission to leave.Women and children are waiting to visit their relatives in prisons in Israel.In the line for vehicles, there are 18 cars waiting at 7:50. It takesus 20 minutes to get through. There’s a line of 10 cars trying to passthrough in the direction of Ramallah. The passengers on the minibuseshave gotten off the buses and are waiting in the pedestrian line.New checkpoint Ar-Ram8:12 – Three vehicles are waiting to go in the direction of Jerusalem.Traffic is flowing in the direction of Qalandiya. Cars are let throughfirst in one direction then the other. We try to figure out whathappened to the road that connects Beit Hanina – Jerusalem, with BeitHanina – El Balad in the Bir Nabala protrusion. This road has beenblocked to cars by piles of stones and dirt for several years underthe bridge on road #443, but one could traverse it on food. Now acement wall has been built which blocks all the spaces, preventing anymovement. Anyone who wants to get from one Beit Hanina to the other,must go through the checkpoints Ar-Ram – new, Qalandiya, Bir Nabala.This makes the trip 35 km, instead of 1 ½ km.