Ar-Ram, Qalandiya, LiL, Hizma, Thursday morning, 12.10.2006Observers: Mili M., Tamar A. (reporting), Natanya translatingAnother example of Israeli’s freedom of religion.5.50 – Checkpoint Ar-Ram. No cars. There is one man next to the soldier’s post…evidently a detainee.6.00 – 7.15: A line of 20 cars and only one post open. A check takes two minutes. A group of women from Nablus descends from the bus and goes to the pedestrian crossing. They have gone through the checkpoints of Hawarra, Burin, Za’atra and maybe others so as to pray at the mosque of El-Aksa. But they do not manage to pass the checkpoint of Qalandiya. “All the women who have no permit – leave.” This is the command over the loudspeaker. The answer from the humanitarian centre is simple and clear. “Where is El-Aksa? In Jerusalem. No one enters Jerusalem without a permit.” The women give up and leave. Before each post are about 20 people. When some of the young people form an extra line before the 4th post this also opens. The passage takes 5-8 minutes.Another group of 12 women arrive, but again over the broadcasting system is heard “ There is a closure. Not permitted. All the ladies go back. “ Again they give in. 6.45 – The commander arrives and explains that there is no closure but “a little closure.” That is that all the workers of the industrial area of Atarot can pass, but not one who works in Jerusalem itself. He also says that the previous Friday there had been disturbances. 60,000 people had arrived and the terminal could not cope with so many. Tomorrow, Friday, the third day of Ramadan, they would make appropriate arrangements. The commander goes from post to post and every now and again gives the soldiers orders to speed up the passage of pupils. He is not prepared to open the waiting area at the entrance to the District Coordinator’s Office, which only opens roughly between 8-8.30. He cannot give a definite time. ‘There is a problem” if people are allowed to wait inside. He invites them to sit in the waiting area of the hall in front of the turnstiles. “there are benches, toilets and water.” In another half hour the DCO will open. An elderly man accompanied by two elderly women asks the commander to be allowed to pass to pray in El Aksa. He refuses and one can see that this is an unpleasant duty for him . A few minutes later another 5 women arrive without permits and the same request. “Tomorrow” says the commander…Friday when things will be easier. They can try their luck with the DCO when it opens. He knows that there is practically no hope of getting a permit to attend the prayers. Maybe it seems less cruel to him to give them too much hope than just to send them back home. 7.10 – two short lines left and about 20 people in the waiting area and about 25-30 cars in front of the two posts.7.20 LilThe checkpoint begins to establish itself with two lines but the soldiers do not check.7.25 – Hizma checkpoint. Comparatively little traffic.