Ar-Ram, Qalandiya, Tues. 01.11.05 p.m.Observers: Ofra BA, Tzili G, Tzipi E (reporting)Ar-Ram14:45 – We arrived at the checkpoint. There was only one lane open for traffic to Jerusalem. The cars were checked in only one lane. Near the soldiers’ hut, there were two detainees. One of them told us that he was stopped because the soldiers accused him of a forged permit. One of the soldiers stuck his head out of the window and asked us not to speak with him. There were about 20 pedestrians waiting to go through, and a long line of cars leaving Ar-Ram. The commander of the checkpoint asked us not to stand at the checkpoint and threatened to arrest us for preventing a police person from carrying out his tasks if we did not leave.15:15 Qalandiya We reached the intersection at Qalandiya. There were a lot of cars and a lot of noise. In the center, there were concrete blocks that were used by the peddlers. An elderly man told us that today, the closure was ended. He lives in Ramallah and works in Jerusalem and he described for us the life of fear and trepidation in his family. He cannot go with his sick wife to get care at the Augusta Victoria hospital in Jerusalem. We tried to give him the telephone number of the Physicians for Human Rights, but he refused to take it for fear that he will lose his job if he turns to them. At the checkpoint, there were a lot of pedestrians in both directions. Only two of the turnstiles were open and they were packed with hundreds of people trying to get through. Many soldiers, with their weapons ready, tried to organize those crossing, from the elderly to babies, but without success. They did not open another crossing, despite the huge numbers, the requests, and the pleadings of women and sick people. They shouted out “get back, get back “, together with the use of physical pressure in their effort “to solve” the problem of maintaining order at the checkpoint. It was an embarrassing scene. When we asked why they didn’t open another lane, the DCL representative answered that they did not have the permission of the battalion head. The area commander arrived with an additional group of soldiers holding clubs who tried to organize the lanes, which caused even more anger and shouts between the soldiers and those trying to go through. Fights were on the verge of breaking out between the soldiers and one of those passing through who had already been checked at the checkpoint but who complained about having to stand day after day and be treated that way when going through. He was seized by one of the soldiers. Later, after the intervention of the platoon head, he was released and sent on his way.16:45 – There were still many people waiting to get through the turnstiles and this was the last day of the fast of Ramadan. Tomorrow is the festival, and there were still many waiting to get through in insulting, threatening circumstances under the threat of soldiers with weapons. 16:55 – Ar-Ram We went through the pedestrian lane with the shouts of the soldiers calling, one by one. There were no detainees.17:00 We returned to Jerusalem.