Qalandiya, Tue 31.7.12, Afternoon

After "our" usual shift in Bethlehem/Etzion got organized  in a way that we could hardly see how the Palestinian applicants were heard by the army, we decided to drive to other checkpoints. We choose Qalandiya.

After we had reached the checkpoint via the highway about 15.00 PM we found from both sides long queues of cars.. The soldiers dealt with the drivers to Jerusalem quickly, to Ramallah no checking. After we had passed the round about , we  parked on the big parking lot.

In the hall were some men sitting on the benches and talking. We supposed: taxi drivers waiting on clients.

From time to time a group of people came in from the Jerusalem side, and turned through the metal paths and turnstiles in the direction of Jerusalem. 3 counters and one DCO were open. Waiting people were pushing and  got checke  

We left through the checkpoint to jerusalem. Vehicles were waiting in two rows in a stop and go. What never happened to us occured; the soldier in charge wanted to see our ID's,(I had also my European passport with me, but did not show because I thought that would make things even more complicated).

So I showed my tag and tried to explain what was Machsom Watch and that Avital was my driver. .. But they were no more so interested in our identities, but in my emergency alarm clock from Yad Sarah, which I have to wear most of the time like a watch.

They wanted to see and to understand how it functioned. -- I will never wear it again when I am on duty for machsom watch. But the soldiers were very attentive. At the end they let us pass.

Avital let me out at the makolet in my neighborhood in Talpiot where I live. The Arab worker in the makolet, where I know everybody, saw for the first time my tag (which I had forgotten to take off) and was very interested learning that we came from Qalandiya. He told us that he is from Qalandiya and has to stand in the ceckpoint at 6 AM in the morning at every working day. Each morning the checkpoint was overcrowded. (I had asked him once where he lived. He had answered so shortly "jerusalem" that I felt, he did not want to speak with me about his situation).