Bir Naballah, Qalandiya, 13.9.2006, Wednesday afternoonObservers: Yvonne, Daniella, Hannah T. (reporting), Natanya translating16.00 Checkpoint of Bir NaballahWe turned at the checkpoint of Ramot to the right (opposite the turning to Beit Iksa, a little way before Nebi Samuel in the direction of the north. A dirt road, in bad condition and not maintained, a steep decent and narrow. Yellow taxis with green number plates and some with yellow, the sewage rolls down the wadi, thin camels and Bedouin tents. To the left, inside the village (the old Bir Naballah?) we get to a new Palestinian road which is parallel to 443 on the south side. One continues here into Bir Naballah. One sees the wall of 443 on the right. Here are no pictures or decorations. On the right under 443 …blocked and clogged. In Bir Naballlah , the new area is another way under 443 which can be passed through. But immediately there is once again a fence which closes in Atarot. Another blockage. No way out northwards to Ramallah. We go back. Continue straight (the shops are open for a change( until the right hand turnא of a new and black road with brown sides and a red sign on the paving stones “No stopping here”. Quicly we get to the circle – the checkpoint of Bir Nablaah. From the north Ramallah, from the south to Bir Naballah and another road to the west. The commander of the checkpoint, an unidentified reservist, demands violently, “Get on your feet and get the hell out of here.” ( This is the way he speaks to women of over 50????). We did not “fly of”. “Until you leave here not one car will get through.” (In other words all the Palestinians from now and until the next notification, are the hostages of this commander. This because of his fight with three women whom he does not want around. ) So we left and stopped a little way off to control ourselves. The fighting commander send a taxi driver to us who had to make two turns through the other cars to get to us. And in his mouth the command. The Palestinian in the service of the army spoke to us in Arabic, but we understood and moved further off. We must go back there more often and can we spend more time there?17.05 – Checkpoint Ramot We went into Beit Iksa. The road is open today. Public Palestinian transport goes from Beit Iksa to Bir Naballah. Cars with yellow license plates arrive at Beit Iksa and turn right to Ramot and are detained. Blue ids are collected and then returned. Takes 5 minutes. We go on 443 in the direction of the west. According to the sentry tower at the right side it is possible to identify the place and of the evile circle of Bir Naballah. The naïve passenger on 443 cannot think or guess at what is happening under the road. We also only learn this today. 17.45 – Checkpiont Qalandiya A three dimensional mosaic on the fence. No people. A smell of economica on the floor. A decorative wall , new, hides the car park on the north from those who come from Jerusalem. A Palestinian who knows us asks us to come at 7.00 . Then the line reaches to Ramallah, workers, women, children. The loudspeaker is impossible to hear or understand. 18.00 – Pressure of cars entering Ramallah.