Qalandiya, Mon 3.10.11, Afternoon

We reached Qalandiya at 4:10 PM.  Two internal passageways were open.  There were between 30 and 40 people waiting in each of the passageways.  There were no lines at all in the northern entrance shed because the turnstile was never locked.  This state of affairs continued during our entire shift.  In both passageways, the soldiers let people into the examination area in groups of 3 or 4 and worked quickly.  In spite of the crowding, we timed the wait on line in Passageway 4 at 15 minutes and in Passageway 1, at 20 minutes.  In two instances people were required to empty their bags/parcels and show their contents to the soldiers on duty (after they had passed through the x-ray machine).  We have never seen this before.

For a change, the longest line at Qalandiya was the one for bus passengers on the western end of the terminal.  We saw about 50 people waiting in line to enter the examination area (who knows how many were waiting inside).

Physical conditions at the CP have not improved.  It remains dirty and smelly, truly offensive.