Qalandiya, Sun 29.4.12, Afternoon

Date: 29/04/2012 ,Afternoon

Observers: Roni Hammermann and Tamar Fleishman (reporting)

Qalandiya

three kilometers south of Ramallah, in the heart of Palestinian population. Integrates into "Jerusalem Envelope" as part of Wall that separates between northern suburbs that were annexed to Jerusalem in 1967: Kafr Aqab, Semiramis and Qalandiya, and the villages of Ar-Ram and Bir Nabala, also north of Jerusalem, and the city itself. Some residents of Kafr Aqab, Semiramis and Qalandiya have Jerusalem ID cards.

A terminal operated by Israel Police has functioned since early 2006. As of August 2006, northbound pedestrians are not checked. Southbound Palestinians must carry Jerusalem IDs; holders of Palestinian Authority IDs cannot pass without special permits. Vehicular traffic from Ramallah to other West Bank areas runs to the north of Qalandiya.

Click here to watch a video from Qalandiya checkpoint.

Close description

Translating: Ruth Fleishman

The air mixed with grains of dust and was drenched with gas fumes from the cars, it had also been diluted by smoke that rose from the trash burning.

Fire is the only way that Palestinians who wish to preserve a bit of their daily routine, to get rid of the piles of garbage that accumulate there. The local authority which holds jurisdiction over the place- the municipality of Jerusalem, is quick to fine the fruit peddlers, confiscate their property and destroy their merchandise, doesn't fulfill its basic duty- to evacuate the trash.

Using the Back-to-Back method, in front of barrels of rifles and by an armored BP vehicle, the body of a child was transferred from an ambulance from the occupied territories to an Israeli one which would take it to its burial at Gaza where the child lived.