Anata, Ar-Ram, Qalandiya Tues. 07.12.04 a.m. Observers: HS, RA (reporting)Time: 6:30 - 9:15 a.m.6:30 Anata: A cold though not rainy winter morning. Pedestrian traffic moving quickly, including a lot of school pupils. Only young men are required to present i.d.'s The i.d.'s of people in vehicles are also being checked. New soldiers from the border police are not familiar with us and questioned our presence at the place. The people in the area are familiar with their rights as Jerusalem residents and they are very concerned about the implications of the separation barrier route on their lives.7:05 Ar-Ram: A friendly welcome by the border police. A spoked impedement for cars was placed on the road where children were passing and was taken away after I requested that they do so. Stringent inspection of vehicles heading north, more so than usual, caused traffic jams. We asked the commander of the post the reason for this and they said that they were checking for stolen vehicles. An additional hardship for the people of this neighborhood. The bus from Ar-Ram to Qalandiya traveled on the west side of the wall, by way of Atarot.Qalandiya: 7:45. Yet a new and oppressive arrangement at the checkpoint. At the head of the line of pedestrians, we noticed that between the rolls of metal, a high platform had been constructed on which a border policeman stands. During the time that we were there, a woman soldier stood there and counted the people in line and allowed them to pass by 10's, while she was chewing gum and fooling around with the other soldiers. This was a difficult, insulting scene to the men standing in line. The commander of the checkpoint explained to us that the platform was designed to increase the security of the soldiers. According to the same logic, perhaps they could guard their security more successfully from a different place. The line of cars was long and there was the usual tension. E was there and said that today, he mediated in a quarrel about jumping the line between two Palestinians. The result: A car with broken windows and two Palestinians detained.