We accompanied I., a resident of Old
Beit Hanina, on his Via Dolorosa in pursuit of a permit. I. holds a
green ID holder. His 7 year old son from his first wife (who died
of leukaemia) lives with the grandparents in the north of Israel.
I. appealed to the High Court of Justice who ruled that he can
visit his son once a week, and the army is obligated to issue the
appropriate permits for him. On visiting day I. goes in the morning
to Beit El, and when the bureaucracy is completed, approximately at
noon, he travels north. Having to pass several checkpoints, he
often arrives too late. Today he set out to apply for a three
months permit, so that he won’t have to waste half of his visiting
day on getting the permit.

First station 10:15 Ramallah centre is open and bustling with life.
At the entrance of the Civil Court, 3 tables with typewriters
(!!!), men filling out application forms in Hebrew according to
demand, Xerox machine in courtyard for copies of ID and
application, altogether NIS 8. Taxi from Qalandya to Beit El
(including waiting time in Ramallah) NIS 42

Second station 10:45 DCO Beit El. Official opening hours 8:00 –
17:00. 50- 60 people waiting (small number because of rumours of
closure). Only one window active: From time to time the curtain is
drawn and the dim outline of a soldier appears for a minute on the
other side of the glass. Though not very alert and pushy, miss the
chance to shove the application through the narrow slot in the
window. No one to turn to, no one to ask or to explain. We ask why
only one window is operating — shortage of manpower. But soon
another window is opened. During our visit there were never more
than 2 windows operating simultaneously. I. eventually succeeds in
sliding in his application. One hour later: “This is not the
right place, you have go to the regional DCO”. He tries to
state his case but the window closes. After another half hour, he
succeeds at last. Another 45 minutes pass (lunch break), before he
receives another refusal. “The computer does not enable this
option”. We don’t accept this answer, but the window is being
shut again. Third station Officer B. is the last instance of hope.
He is the only one who listens. He solves some humanitarian cases
twice refused before (a disabled man having an appointment with a
specialist in Jerusalem. A father wanting to attend the wedding of
his daughter in Ramle) In I’s, case he cannot help, but he suggests
a permit to pass Qalandya today, so that he won’t have to drag
himself through Surda. But after another 40 minutes, I. is this,
too! (paradox: once a week he is allowed into Israel, today he is
refused crossing into Qalandya!).

Third station Qalandya 16:30: We take I. along in the taxi from
Beit El. An older volunteer attacks us, and even the checkpoint
commander N., declaring he will under no circumstances agree let I.
pass. Still, we ask N. to call Beit El for clarification of I.’s
predicament. Finally, N. decides to Let I. into Ar-Ram. At 17:30 we
arrive at I.’s house in Old Bet Hanina, where we are regally
received by I.’s wife with drinks and food. In order to get to
Jerusalem we still have to pass the 800m route of earth-mounds,
which separates Bet Hanina from Old Bet Hanina.