Qalandiya July 2, 2004 PMWatchers: Ora S., Rachel A., Maya B., Yael S.(reporting)On the whole: a lousy shift.When we passed by Ar-Ram everything looked fine.The road to Qalandiay the same as last week. Rachelsays the ditches by the poured cement are new. I seemto remember them from last week.At Qalandiya – open today. The vans have been moved tothe parking lot. 2 BP cars greet those coming toJerusalem from the south.Children from Qalandiya refugee camp miil around theCP (they don’t go to school apparently) trying to sellknickknacks to earn a few shekels. They look tired butcontinue to pester us even after we bought from them.Two beggers (female) sit on the path to the middlechecking post.To the south, two young men from Bet Hanina, withHebron written on their IDs, are trying to cross theCP to go home. DCO representative says there’s nochance of them being admitted. They should changeaddresses, but he agrees that this is not possiblenow. However, without permit or a changed address,they cannot cross at Qalandiya, only through Sudra.What does it matter where they live? Why can’tPalestinians move from place to place as they pleasewithin the Palestinian territories? Why does the armyinsist they go to Bet Hanina by the longest and mostexpensive way? By what right?We offered to pay for the pair’s transport, but theyrefused, as if to say: “It’s our right to get to BetHanina by the shortest route!”They said they had it with the oppression and theoccupation. We could only agree with them, but warnedthem not to go through Tura because they might becaptured there. But they insisted on going there.On the way home, we got a phone call saying they hadbeen captured and beaten. We gave the details of theincident to the Center for Human rights.We stopped at Ar-Ram. By mistake we found ourselves inthe line of Palestinian cars. Although there were only10 cars there, the line did not move for 10 minutes.An ambulance with a mother nursing a baby was detainedbecause the woman had no permit. Dalya took care ofthe case efficiently, but the BP took their timereleasing the mother who was suffering in thesweltering heat.The line of cars did not move.One soldier checked the vehicles, another thepassengers. DCO rep was present, but the CP commanderrefused to expedite the passage of vehicles anddetained every one at the CP needlessly. Drivers withblue IDs and Israeli license plates waited in theheat.The commander was eating a peach and ordered us toleave the site.-You’re disturbing me!-What, eating a peach?-Yeah.This redundant delay was infuriating. I told him I wasgoing to launch a complaint. Then he told me I wasdetained.-For what reason? I asked.-Security check.My bag was not checked. I was told to stand by theshack. When I made my way to the car (Maya had alreadycrossed), sergeant N. ran after me and told me to goback to the shack. Since I did not have my ID card onme, Rachel called Safadi, who called Munir, who thencame to the CP to release me. It took 25 minutes.Munir backed his sergeant’s action.Pretty soon anybody caught without an ID card will bedetained.