Qalandiya, Mon 27.8.12, Afternoon

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Place: 
Observers: 
Natanya G., Frieda and Efrat (guests), Phyllis W. (reporting)
Aug-27-2012
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Afternoon

The holidays are over and the pedestrian CP was quite empty, almost desolate, although the dirt and the rubbish littered all over the floor served as evidence that people had been there.  Two passageways were operating inside the CP with only a few people waiting in line in each.  No one was waiting in the DCO passageway, nor was anyone to be seen in the waiting area just beyond the passageway.

There were no lines at all in the northern shed (entrance to the CP).  The pushcart peddlers have all returned to their posts.

The western CP, which serves the bus lines connecting Jerusalem and Ramallah, is operating once more.  A constant stream of passengers passed through this CP.

Last but not least, the vehicle CP (in the center of the "Terminal") was quite active, but the line of vehicles arriving from Ramallah was not very long.

In short, when demand is weak or non-existent the CP seems to perform quite well.  It's only when larger numbers of people actually want to get to Jerusalem that the whole system breaks down.

The two elderly women from Gaza, whom we wrote about last week, are still in Ramallah waiting for permits to return home.  Apparently the procedure requires the authorities in Gaza to make a request for permits for the two and no one seems particularly interested in expediting the matter.

We left Qalandiya a little after 5 PM.  On our way to Jerusalem we noticed that the CP at Lil/Jabba has been partially dismantled, with only one inspection booth remaining.