Qalandiya, Sun 23.12.12, Morning
Translator: Charles K.
05:20 Why is the line so long and so slow this morning? It’s a harsh sight on a cold morning. Everything seems to go slowly. Pandemonium began when the shifts changed and the new soldier didn’t open the three revolving gates
simultaneously, which always angered everyone – the laborers as well as us.
06:20 The DCO representative arrived with the policeman. They come to the waiting room filled with people. The first thing they do is check that – God forbid - no one on the humanitarian line is younger than 60. Those aged 58 are sent to the regular line. That seems to be the DCO’s main job, preventing 58-year-olds from sneaking into the humanitarian line.
A man wishing to cross on the humanitarian line was sent to the regular line because his excuse wasn’t accepted. He said he’d badly injured his back three months ago and will have difficulty passing through the narrow revolving gate on the regular line. He’d even brought documents signed by a physician. It was clear to us that he suffered from back pains, just as it’s clear every Palestinian is suspected of cheating and lying, and their only wish at the checkpoint is to cross through the humanitarian lane rather than the one intended for laborers!
The ecumenicals said it took 50 minutes to get from the parking lot to the checkpoint’s exit.
We tried to speak to the policeman to ask that all all three revolving gates open at the same time, but weren’t able to. Finally, after the congestion eased, the policeman spoke with us.
The atmosphere is Kafkaesque. We tell a soldier that the revolving gate isn’t opening; he’s standing alongside us, looking at that same revolving gate and saying that it is opening! The same thing happens when we time how long it takes to go through, when both we and the soldier have watches that show the same time but he insists on “his” timing. Another frustrating experience when we ask them to help with something that they have the ability to carry out. After all, we’re not asking the soldier to end the occupation…
