Ar-Ram, Qalandiya, Wednesday, 28.6.06 PMObservers: Chana T, Daniella Y (reporting)The motto: we will make them miserable!Ar-RamA sergeant came over and informed us bluntly that, according to the company commander’s orders, we are prohibited from remaining at the checkpoint, and must back off 50 metres.Four men and one woman are detained. The checkpoint commander: “It is permissible to detain people up to three hours. First of all they are detained (personal participation?) For 20 minutes, and afterwards we begin to check Ids. What can you do? Inspection of Ids can take three hours…”We move over to the vehicle lane and are driven away from there too. There are almost no vehicles in the direction of Jerusalem.Three soldiers are lolling opposite Ibrahim, guarding a big opening in the fence. At Ibrahim’s a man is sitting eating (rare sight). The man tells us: “They do something bad to people. How are we to live? Every place is closed. People will do desperate things because you close… People are finished, no longer care… What sort of peace is it when a man can’t get to his home? Israel says one thing and does something else… They give us no respect, don’t let us work, if we don’t steal we won’t live. Now you’ve destroyed all the Arabs. The Arabs go mad and don’t respect Israel.”We go on to the junction. Three days ago they put large concrete obstacles across the road in the direction of Qalandiya. Taxis to Ramallah now stand behind the block. The fare has gone up. Few passengers, few taxis.The Border Policemen refuse to talk to us.At the junction, a lot of concrete blocks and building materials. Another project being prepared. A fence to link to the existing one in an east-west direction.QalandiyaIn the parking lot three police cars, a strong presence.In the vehicle line, the rebuking snarl of a woman soldier: “What, not showing an ID? I’m supposed to guess you have it in your pocket?” All this in Hebrew, and the man is confused.At the pedestrian crossing: why did they build, with our money, six transit lanes like those at the airport? A regime that hides its lies. All the lanes are closed. Red lights flash above the turnstiles. Scores of people stand, penned in and crowded together. Waiting an hour in line. Children crying. Suddenly an announcement on the loudspeakers – move to lane 3. Everyone runs, and again a red light. Waiting, waiting… And always the runaround – from here to there.We complain to the DCO, speak to Yuval and Ophir. Yuval says he got a report from the checkpoint that there is nothing exceptional. True, people wait on their feet for an hour, two hours – what’s exceptional?One lane opens and people are processed one by one thoroughly. Shouts at a young man and he doesn’t understand what they want of him.We’re told that the checkpoint commander is not present, and there is no one with authority to open another turnstile.A man from Beit Zefafa, who works at the Peres Center for Peace, tells us that, since Monday ten days ago, there has been hazing. They pass people through a checkpoint, then send them back again.A veteran DCO representative at Qalandiya (whose name escapes me) slams the door in our faces when we ask him to please come and see the distress of the waiting people. A few years ago he was willing and tried to meet the concerns of people. After a few years at the checkpoint, the dullness of senses is sealed in.On the way back, Ar-Ram northwards, a huge line of cars.