Qalandiya
Qalandya, Thursday afternoon, 2.10.03
Observers: NS, MM, RH, NG, MBH
Passing through A-Ram in
our own car, we saw a long line of southbound cars, but no
pedestrian queue, and no detainees. We did not stop.
Qalandya south was a mess, with traffic using any and all
lanes for any and all directions. Even the narrow lane on the right
(facing north), supposedly meant for IDF passage only had in it
transits and trucks, amazingly trying to simultaneously travel in
BOTH directions. The pedestrian southbound queue was very long, but
moved fairly quickly (timed at 10 minutes from joining it to
passing the soldiers). No curfew today. So the "only"
people who couldn't pass were green/orange card holders lacking
permits. But there were quite a few of these, and although they did
not give urgent humanitarian reasons to want to be on the other
side, all had their perfectly good personal reasons to want to be
on the other side. But nada -- lack permit, can't travel. Our
attempts to help met the same fate. On a happier note, we followed
some of the would-be passers -- and amazingly, eventually they
passed! Not with the help of ourselves or the soldiers, but rather
in spite of them. Those who did not take NO for an answer, and
stuck around stubbornly, patiently, found windows of opportunity,
and went through.