'Atara, Qalandiya, Sun 11.9.11, Afternoon

Translating: Ruth Fleishman

Qalandiya checkpoint:
They weren't there a week ago. Where were the cement bricks and the relics of old blockages brought from and why were they transferred and placed at the entrance to the checkpoint from the southern side? Some were placed in straight lines as though it was a lineup, and the others were scattered arbitrarily.
"They are trying to create one passage for people and another for vehicles", a Palestinian friend tried to explain to us and to himself the rationality behind it all. However, the facts don't convey an attempt to improve the accessibility of the site, they do disclose more and more narrowing of lanes and more malicious blockages that make the passage harder for people and vehicles. The blockage free site is getting smaller, it is narrowing down. It would seem that after some more narrowing down, only the square would remain which in itself is also a blockage.
A swift artist had left his mark on the cement blocks, an inscription and drawings in green, red and black (the colors of the Palestinian flag): "about three days ago during the night, perhaps it was one AM, an Arab man living in Allemagne (Germany) came with paint and brushes and did it", said a friend.

Atara/Bir Zeit checkpoint:
"We are here because they throw stone at us…" said an angry soldier, one of the three who came down from the tower to meet us, and tried in vain to send us away or to at least restrict us.
This statement raises the question of the chicken and the egg. It is true that from time to time stones are thrown at the pillbox, it is also true that in return the soldier use riot control equipment, including firing their rifles and throwing gas grenades at those who throw the stones. But the stones do not throw themselves, and those who throw them don't regard it as an entertaining activity.
After all, had there not been a checkpoint at that place and had there not been any armed soldiers at the checkpoint, the stones would not have been thrown. But then, in line with this soldier's train of thought, he and his friends wouldn't be needed there any more…
Chad Gadya?