Ar-Ram, 14:45; the vehicle line toward
Jerusalem was long and moving slowly.

Qalandya: Nearly vacant, hardly any traffic from any direction. On
the northern side we witnessed the appalling game played by the
kids (age range approximately 10-17 years old) and the soldiers in
the jeeps along the fence. The kids dash across the fence onto the
road to provoke the soldiers, and then run back. The soldiers speed
over to the fence and wait for the kids to start throwing rocks. On
call, the kids throw rocks and then the soldiers aim and shoot.
This cycle goes on for a few minutes and then the sides retreat.
The taxi drivers reported that they have been trying to intervene
with the kids and their families, to no avail. Even worse for the
drivers, when the situation gets out of hand the jeeps block the
taxi station. Not only does this prevent the taxis from working it
also entices the kids to start throwing the rocks at the soldiers
who are positioned in front of the taxis. The drivers reported
damage to their cars/vans. Aside from the obvious evil of shooting
at kids and using the taxi drivers as human shields, in such a busy
civilian area this is an irresponsible and reckless tactic that
could erupt into a catastrophic riot. The response from the
commanders at the checkpoint was, at best,
indifferent.

As usual, there were men waiting to have their IDs returned to
them. Men who were caught in Tora Bora and their IDs were already
checked but being held the maximum time to teach that famous
lesson. A little while later another group of eight men, captured
in the Tora Bora, were shepherded in to the checkpoint. One man
shouted out to us “Red Cross – I’m here, help me!” The
soldiers were not amused. Three of these men were released within
15 minutes with their IDs. One man got angry and left of his own
volition without his ID. Another man asked for water and while
waiting for it, fainted. The confused soldiers administered water.
When he came around he was visibly shaken and insisted on leaving
immediately with or without (as it turned out – without) his ID.
S., the onsite commander, although approachable, was highly
unhelpful. He just answered anything in order to appease us and
continued whatever he was already doing.