Anata, Hizme, Qalandiya, Bir Naballah, Monday. 6.11.06 p.m. Observers: Yael Y, Ilana D (reporting)14:00 to 17.30 Anata changed since our last visit there. The Druze commander spoke willingly and explained that all pedestrians toward Jerusalem must pass between the two gates so that they go one at a time and there is order. From behind the building at the crossing, a mound of garbage arises upon which a soldier stands guard. There is a special crossing for public transportation but the lane is in dreadful condition. Soon, the passage is to be redone and will look like Hizme. He also complained about the filth and suggested that we call 106 to demand that the municipality comes and cleans it up. From the north of the main passage, vehicles were parked outside of the entrance to the Shuafat refugee camp. Two soldiers were at the gate which serves, according to them, for pedestrians with blue i.d.’s That is also the place from which buses collect the school children. There were two concrete structures, huts with benches also the two sides where we thought that children could sit while they were waiting. But we were wrong. A border policeman explained that that is where detainees are held. A man from Walleja told us that those without permits who are seized in the city center or in the south are brought to the north (and the reverse) in order to make their return home more difficult and force them to put out more money in transportation home. Hizme checkpoint has been widened and is almost totally enclosed by the fence. There was a long line from the north. All transportation south crosses here. We did not stay around.Qalandiya was empty. We did not see the officer of the DCL At the vehicle passing, a soldier from the military police smiled pleasantly, and then his commander arrived and drove us away from there. We noticed that all the metal fencing covering the sewers in the area of the parking lot were removed by thieves and the holes were exposed and dangerous. We went up to the buildings at the end of the area and found that these were for post boxes for Israeli mail.We went to Bir Naballah by way of Beit Hanina on the new road that goes from the Ramot checkpoint. We went into the center of the village to an electrical shop and heard about the situation there. It was depressing to see large unfinished homes that had been built a few years back when there was a spurt of new building. There were 20,000 people in the village and now there are 11,000. There is no future and anyone who can leave will — especially to the U.S. A man whom we met in the shop, who had been a contractor in Jerusalem and is now unemployed, took us to the checkpoint that is under route 443. There was a long line of cars on their way to Ramallah waiting to cross to Beit Hanina and from there to cross the Ramot road in order to get to Bidu. The meanwhile, it got dark and we headed back.