Qalandiya, (or the road to Qalandiy) Wednesday afternoon, 11.10, 2006Observers: Yvonne M. , Naomi A. I. , Ruthie B. (reporting), Natanya translatingWe wanted to get to the checkpoint of Atara, a kilometer before the crosspoint of Geva and got stuck in a traffic jam. It took us 20 minutes to get to the circle from which we went on to Qalandiya and Ar-Ram or in the direction of Nablus on road 60.Absolute chaos at the circle. Angry settlers furious at the delay. At the descent to road 60 a make shift taxi rank to Nablus. The road leading west to Qalandiya blocked for more than a kilometer in both directions. Drivers to Nablus say that they passed 6 checkpoints from Za’atra to Qalandiya including Atara and some kilometers onwards from Ofra. We parked the car and went up on foot to the checkpoint.16.00 – A new checkpoint (Lil?) and by all the signs not a temporary one. There is already a pillbox there and checking posts in both directions. Two lanes on both sides and even though it was pretty quick it was blocked with traffic and a traffic jam as a result. EVERYONE is checked. All the passengers in the taxis. Pupils of both sexes and the private cars. 16.15 – A blue policeman arrives and scolds the soldier “Nothing is moving.” They get an order at the same time to stop the checking in the direction of Ramallah and the traffic starts to move but this is not always for the best. The policeman, David, is evidently in need of a bonus and he waits for drivers letting down passengers and stops 4 of them for passing. Gives them summons and confiscates their driving documents and sends them to Ras el Amud to get it back. At about 17.00 when the fast is over there is less traffic but once again a careful checking. Our conclusion from what has been seen in the area in the last month is very clear: The terminal of Atarot – the checkpoint of Qalandiya, is false impression . The building of a passage to Jerusalem, the walls and enclosures which have been built to provide freedom of movement (very limited anyway) on the inner roads, from and to Ramallah, are only superficial. At each crossroad there is a checkpoint. The entrance to the enclosure of Bit Naballah, Jib, Atara and the northern exit to Ramallah and to the checkpoint of Geva-Lil which are very close to Qalandiya are all far away from the eyes of the beholder.