Qalandiya, Tue 28.2.12, Morning

Translator: Charles K.

We were delayed 40 minutes going through the vehicle checkpoint by soldiers who insisted that checkpoint regulations permit only the driver to cross with the car. The accompanying passenger, who isn’t the driver’s relative, must be inspected separately.

Qalandiya – 06:00

Another freezing morning. A long line winds out from under the canopy to the parking lot. The checkpoint is congested. All inspection lanes are open. The ecumenical volunteer says lanes 4 and 5 opened only a few minutes ago. About ten people on line in each lane. About 400 laborers wait on the regular line, about 50 wait for the humanitarian gate to open.

Had all the inspection lanes opened an hour and a half earlier there would be no congestion now; it’s a terrible waste of time for the thousands of laborers who arrive at the checkpoint early.

Qalandiya – 06:30

356 peopled entered for inspection during the past half hour.

An elderly woman gets on the regular line. She doesn’t seem to be familiar with the rules governing survival at the checkpoint. The men direct her to the humanitarian lane; Ina clears a way for her through the dozens of children crowded before the gate.

Five or six soldiers are in the building from which the crossing is regulated. They’re chatting, enjoying themselves, don’t notice that there are no more lines at the inspection booths, and that the revolving gate can be opened more frequently so those waiting on the long line can go through more quickly.

Qalandiya – 07:00

381 peopled entered for inspection during the past half hour.

There’s a little less congestion outside. The humanitarian gate hasn’t opened for a long time; the people who waited in vain moved over to the regular line.

The soldier in charge of operating the revolving gates says he’s not responsible for the humanitarian crossing; the officer is responsible, but the officer left.

Qalandiya – 07:30

364 peopled entered for inspection during the past half hour.

Almost everyone on the regular line are people who should have crossed through the humanitarian lane.

We drove toward the vehicle crossing. After 15 minutes we reached the soldiers conducting inspections. They took both our ID cards, checked the trunk twice, and informed us that – according to the rules, only the driver is allowed to cross with the car. The accompanying passenger, who isn’t the driver’s relative, must be inspected separately.

Qalandiya – 08:00

We’re still stuck in the same place, in the line to the vehicle checkpoint. The soldiers let us call everyone we know.

A new officer arrives, with our ID cards. He asks whether we’re both Jewish and residents of Jerusalem. Yes. But he’s not really convinced.

The soldier at the DCO says, “If those are the checkpoint rules, they must be obeyed.” I explain that we’ve been crossing here every week for years, and we’ve never heard of that rule. He agrees to connect us to the DCO officer.

The DCO officer says he’ll find out about the new rules; he sounds very embarrassed as well.

Qalandiya – 08:30

The soldiers ask who we’re calling now – Ofer. Though we couldn’t make contact, our ID’s were returned two minutes later and we left.

We were delayed at the checkpoint for 40 minutes, plus 15 more minutes waiting in the vehicle lane.