Afternoon

Afternoon shift, 16:00 - 19:00 (4-7 PM)MachsomWatchers: A.K., N.O., D.G., I.S., R.H.We observed two cases which attest to the total disregard of the army for Palestinian civilians and denial of accountability to them:(1) the unbearable lightness in which a psycho-pathological case was turned into a security issue. (2) the unconditional support which is given to private initiatives of soldiers while renouncing any responsibility for the consequences.Incident #1: At the northern checkpoint we were informed that a Palestinian woman with a blue ID whose behavior has been provocative and aggressive, refused to leave the checkpoint and insisted on being arrested and incarcerated in an Israeli prison.The female volunteer, Keren, argued very reasonably that this woman obviously suffered from behavior disturbances, and consulted with us regarding what to do with her.After some time of this woman’s insistent but quiet presence, we decided to call the director of the Women's Center for Legal Aid and Counseling at A-Ram (tel: 02-2347438), to ask for advice. The director immediately dispatched one of the social workers of the center to the checkpoint. In the meantime we learned from the woman's brother-in-law, who passed by and wanted to help, that her family situation was extremely complicated, frustrating and threatening, and that she was in acute stress and obviously was in need of professional help. Unfortunately, however, while we were waiting for the social worker, the checkpoint commander had decided not to rely on professional help but called the police. From this very moment on, the woman became a security detainee and nobody was allowed to approach her or to talk to her. When the social worker arrived, she was prevented from communicating with the woman. We were negotiating with the checkpoint commanders Amir and Uriel alternately and asked to allow the woman to receive help, but they were not open to any other solution except to wait for the police to take her for interrogation.It was bitter cold, the woman was lightly dressed and it can take hours before the police arrived. The social worker, S.A.D., behaved in an exemplary way, called a lawyer for standby and remained at the checkpoint after we have left.Today S. updated us: the woman was indeed taken to the Russian Compound police prison and released only in the morning, when her mother took her home. The Women's Center will follow up the case and keep us informed.Incident #2: On Tuesday 2 December [PM shift] we reported about a driver whose confiscated car was driven by a soldier to the hill where the daily fights between the soldiers and the children take place. The soldier left the car there along the fence on the patrol road, where it served as a kind of target for stone-throwing youngsters. (The windows of this car were, of course, smashed!)This driver was supposed to receive his car back on Dec. 10. He showed his ID in order to identify himself to the same soldier who did the trick on his car 2 weeks ago, and since then his ID disappeared.The man is now without ID and without car - every day he shows up at the checkpoint to receive his car and his ID, and no one can help. We presented this case to Uriel, who was cooperative up to a certain point but gave up when he realized how complicated the matter was and told the driver to come back tomorrow!This means that one infamous soldier (we know who he is, but not yet by name) can do whatever comes to his mind and never be held accountable for it! No fellow soldier will follow up the thread that leads to him -- and when he does, that soldier will cover up for him! This particular soldier is responsible for the confiscation of a car and for the "disappearance" of an ID - and the driver has no one to turn to!We will eventually find out the name of this soldier (and help file a complaint), but in the meanwhile the driver is completely helpless!!Notes to MachsomWatchers:-> The soldiers try to prevent our presence at the northern taxi parking area! Be firm in your replies that we are allowed to be there!!-> There are many complaints by the taxi drivers about harassments and intrusions of the soldiers, and it is important to get this information!