Qalandiya, Wed 14.12.11, Afternoon

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The waiting shed was dark as only a single neon light was on – evidence of the care and attention directed to the place. Three checking lines were operative. In order supervise  the morning commotion and crowding, the space between the turnstiles was filled in with  loops of barbed wire, sharp as it can be. We watched the passage of vehicles from our stand beyond the fence and of course aroused the Pavlov response of the security personnel.
Approaching 16:30, the crowds were large and the vendors were taking their stands, trying to make their living from the huge number of people there. Baklavas, mandarins and colourful ware painted the grim place in colours. The flow of cars passed through constantly though slow on their way to Ramalla. At 16:30 we passed through the "cage", which for a change seemed unoccupied. Only one queue was open and some 20 people were on line. Chatting, smiling but the despair was there.
16:35: Another queue was opened. Passage was comparatively fast, only some 20 minutes.