Qalandiya, Monday morning, 19.12.2005Watchers: Hadas B-E., Anat T. (reporting)Qalandiya 7.00. No roundabout, no passage for cars to the east, the transits wait on the other side of the road to Ar-Ram behind the cement blocks.On our way we meet a man with his two small daughters who ask for our help. They are from the Old City in Jerusalem and had gone to visit family in Qalandiya. His pregnant wife and the baby are not allowed to pass. She has a green Palestinian ID and a permit allowing her to be and sleep in Jerusalem , also a request for family reunification. This was the case for the entire shift…hard heartedness and strictness with no leniency. We speak to Ophir and the Humanitarian centre but it does not help. At some point the woman waiting on the other side of the fence disappears. She evidently despaired and took the round about route, 50 minutes, 45 shekel. Chaim from the DCO does nothing. We speak to Ophir, to Amos Zu-Aretz, Efrat, the spokesman of the brigade and other people about the tense atmosphere. The battalion has not been changed since the terrorist attack and one can feel the nervousness and the anger in the air. Everyone, including children, are carefully checked and if there is any disorder in the line the checkpoint is closed. There is an explosion in the air. A group of boys wait for their friends who are stuck in the enclosure. Next to the exit they disturb the soldiers. The woman commander tries to work quietly and effectively but the orders are draconian. For example, a woman with a handicapped and backward boy is trying to get to Hadassah for a test, she has an appointment today. The boy has an Israeli ID, but she a Palestinian and the father is overseas. . She cannot pass and that is it. Boys who study at the occupational school in Atarot have no money for the journey around and are sent home. Those with Palestinian ID’s cannot pass since the closure. One of them who has been in the ordinary line for over an hour tries to go through the humanitarian line, he has an Israeli ID. He is scolded and detained and our intervention does not help and even when we leave after an hour he is still there. We also receive complains from the parents of the handicapped children from Kfar Akab and Qalandiya who have to get to their transport in the morning and there is no way they can get there on time. And no one is prepared to give them special permits in spite of their pleading. We are told that on the 20.12 the new terminal will be opened to those with blue ID’s and on Thursday to everyone and a DCO representative will be present. We tell the Palestinians and hope that things will go more easily then. There is no pressure from those coming from Ramallah. Sho’afat 9.45 We are forced to take the Begin road to get here as the way to Ar-ram is blocked. There is no pressure at the checkpoint. Elderly people with Palestinian ID’s pass. A boy on his way to school is sent back to bring his pre Israeli ID. Golan C’ the commander says that he will not allow him to wander round Jerusalem without a permit. One detainee and we try to find out how long he has been there. After a couple of warnings to keep our distance Hadas is called to speak to the commander. The conversation takes a while and the young man is sent back with his drill. At the end of the conversation with Hadas the commander agrees that if he can he will tell us for how long people have been detained. Natanya translating.