Ar-Ram, Qalandiya, Mon 19.11.12, Afternoon

The CP was more or less deserted all afternoon (although 2 passageways continued to operate) due to the battle taking place outside, around the northern square and further along the road to Ramallah.  Groups of young men and boys were throwing stones and fire crackers at soldiers who returned fire with tear gas canisters and rubber bullets.  Large groups of older men stood by and looked on from a safe distance.  The scene was quite   surrealistic. 

We met two ambulance drivers in the northern square who told us that there had been no serious injuries that day, only a few slight wounds.  But other bystanders told us that a 20 month old baby had been killed yesterday when a tear gas canister had come through the window of his house and ignited the bed where he was sleeping.  We heard this story from several people but have no way of knowing if it is true.

Passersby told us that demonstrations were taking place in Ramallah too.

 On our way home we witnessed another battle taking place at the northern entrance to A-Ram.  Once again soldiers were shooting tear gas at demonstrators who were setting tires afire and rolling them down a hill at the soldiers and oncoming traffic.