Qalandiya, Fri 7.12.12, Morning

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Place: 
Observers: 
Ofra Tene, Orit Dekel, Michal Weiner (reporting)
Dec-7-2012
|
Morning

 

Translator: Charles K.

 

09:00 About 50 people wait at the regular crossing. A large group also waited at the humanitarian gate. We learned that it had been decided that day to bring those with a permit for Friday prayers through the humanitarian gate and everyone else through the regular crossing.

 

After a few minutes the line lengthened at the regular crossing. A man and his daughter with blue ID cards approached us. The man complained that the congestion was making his daughter late for her class at the university.

 

Older people were also waiting on the regular line, among them an older woman sitting on a folding chair.

 

At 09:15 we observed congestion at the booths inside and called the DCO to ask that them to open an additional booth. As time passed lines formed at the regular crossing and at the humanitarian crossing. At 09:25 an additional booth opened. Inspections of those on the humanitarian line were conducted at the entrance to the checkpoint.

 

We heard a female soldier speaking over the loudspeaker in an aggressive tone: “I’m not going to work until you move back. I see you.” A woman standing next to the humanitarian gate told us she wants a permit to take her daughter, who has a kidney ailment, to the hospital tomorrow. She said the officer who stood at the entrance to humanitarian gate inspecting documents asked her to wait until he finished his urgent tasks. She explained that she usually obtains the permits at A-Ram, but that office was closed on Friday.

At 10:00, after he had dealt with all who waited at the gate, the officer spoke to her and allowed her to cross. By this time most people at the humanitarian gate and at the regular crossing had gone through.