Qalandiya, Mon 18.2.13, Afternoon

When we arrived at the circle leading to the checkpoint we found that the roundabout road towards Aram had been opened. Three policemen who had made a barrier with three police controls  motioned to us to go to the right but we stopped and told them that we were going to the car park at Qalandiya. At first they did not want to listen and kept motioning that way but we insisted especially as other cars with Israeli license plates were being allowed through. Eventually as if they were bored with the whole thing the one said, "Oh go in " as if to say "and let's be rid of you" which of course we did. We never found out the reason for this though as we went through we noticed that no cars were being allowed out through to the entrance to Israel itself. But once we had parked we saw that buses were once more taking passengers through and there was no delay in the traffic leaving Qalandiya for Israel.

Two checking booths were open. There were not many people there. We were there from 16:00 to 17:00. When we arrived at 16:00 no one was waiting at the entrance to the DCO offices.