Qalandiya, Monday 28.3.11, Afternoon

4.30 We left Jerusalem at 3.15 but owing to traffic only arrived at Qalandiya at about 4.30. As usual the soldiers were playing hide and seek with the Palestinians sending them from one turnstile to another, both in the shed and at the windows. There were people in all three outside  lines  in the shed stretching almost to the end of it and never at any time while we were there was this area empty.  Even when there were practically no people at the windows the outside turnstile was locked while the two women soldiers inside the booth sat chatting.  After all why not keep them standing uncomfortably  in the narrow fenced in area which reminds one of a cattle run rather than letting them into the area of the windows where they could at least move about. 

But then the soldiers found a new game. At first we did not see this because of the long line but suddenly our attention was brought to the fact that about 50 people  coming home from work, etc. to Qalandiya  were standing at the turnstile which is always open and was now locked. Phone call after phone call and it was opened. In the beginning we thought it was a temporary aberration but a while later we again noticed the same thing happening.  This time we saw  an even larger number  waiting to continue their homeward journey. At the same time,  although it was late,  a crowd of people arrived from the area of the DCO inside the window area ….they managed to get through the turnstile inside the terminal but suddenly this was also closed and 4 members of their family were also stuck. So now we had two groups of people who were unable to come through on their way home.

We went to the booth where the woman soldier was now alone and called to her motioning that there were people waiting to come through but got no response. She started barking into the microphone but in such a way that no one could make out what she was saying, no one could make out what language she was speaking in and in fact no one could make out if it was a human language or not.  We phoned the Moked and the DCO but still they waited. More phone calls and eventually the two turnstiles opened, the people streamed through and the family  was united.

Practically the whole time that we were there only one window was open.

We left at 18.15.