Qalandiya, Wed 5.6.13, Afternoon

Translating: Ruth Fleishman

A new sticker on a pole was the only thing reminiscent of a protest.

It is now 46 years to the occupation and it seems as though something in the spirit has broken.

An old friend explained that since most people were worried about putting food on their tables at home, they had forgotten it was the Naksa day.

It was said that in the earlier a parade from Ramallah arrived with people baring flags of Palestine, but soon enough they turned back.

Beside the checkpoint a group of soldiers was waiting and an armed vehicle of the BP was patrolling: "to see that everything was alright", said the officer.

And two policemen pulled over vehicles at the entrance to the checkpoint, they hunted down unbuckled passengers, gave them tickets and enriched the state's till. 

I was given an update regarding the trial of Ahmed from the Falafel stand, it has come to an end with a plea bargain according to which he has been sentenced to 16 months of imprisonment and a fine of 1,500 Shekels (I plan to write about the developments of the event and their meaning- which is much wider than this particular story).

Soldiers that mounted for inspection a Palestinian bus driving before me at the exit from the checkpoint, found some "criminals": A young woman, five little girls and an old wrinkled lady who had all remained on their seats and didn't come down at the entrance to the checkpoint, as required by the rules of occupation. They were taken off the bus and sent back with a security man who followed the old lady whose legs could barely carry her, and yelled: "Yallah, yallah…ruhi, ruhi!".

I took a photo. The attention of all the uniform wearers was diverted towards me: "give me the camera!", a soldiers ordered. I refused. "Delete everything you have just taken", she continued. I refused again. "Stand aside and wait a moment. I'm going to find out". I parked by the side of the road and stood next to the car. The soldier holding my ID called her commander. I waited. The moment didn't pass, it didn't take her a minute nor five. Everyone was busy with me, even when an ambulance arrived sounding its desperate sirens, they continued to deal with me. I walked towards the ambulance, passing the security man who tried to block my way and yelled: "You see, you are detaining the ambulance!" (it's nice to have someone to blame). I heard the driver say it was a severe emergency. But they persisted to deal with my affairs. Only once the police officer that was alerted by the soldier arrived and ordered her to hand my ID back to me and I was permitted to head on, did end yet another silly saga that originated from the intoxication of power of the uniform wearers, combined with their lack of knowledge of the law.