Qalandiya, Thu 1.12.11, Morning

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Place: 
Observers: 
Neta Efroni (reporting); Guest: a Danish journalist
Dec-1-2011
|
Morning

Translator:  Charles K.

When we reached the vehicle checkpoint for cars travelling north we saw a small commercial vehicle standing at the checkpoint, not moving.  I flashed my lights, signaling it to move forward and allow me to advance.
Two bruisers from the checkpoint security staff emerged from the vehicle, intending to upbraid us or to do who knows what else to the Palestinian who dared flash his lights at them.
As soon as they saw the “Press” card on the car, and a woman sitting inside, they folded, returned to their car and cleared the lane.

Many cars and much honking at 05:45 at the vehicle checkpoint.
It’s a madhouse inside the checkpoint, people being pushed, pushing, jumping over one another, sneaking through the revolving gatesinfo-icon over the pens even though the fenced corridors inside were relatively empty.
We called headquarters, which promised that someone from the DCO will arrive immediately to straighten things out.

06:15  Alex, from the DCO, arrives and opens the “humanitarian” gate.
He says he’s only responsible for the humanitarian gate, not for anything else such as controlling people outside the checkpoint or regulating their entry to the fenced corridors.
After a number of phone calls the revolving gates began turning energetically, and at 06:45 the checkpoint was empty.

On the way back – maybe I was dreaming – there was no sight of the Jaba checkpoint