'Anata-Shu'afat, Ras Abu Sbitan (Olive Terminal)
In general: Fewer pupils at the checkpoints due to Easter break in schools.
6:20 Olive Terminal
Only one station is open, causing a slow-moving line to form, even though few seek to cross. When we entered, a second station was opened. After we crossed, it was closed, then reopened later.
Why should this happen during rush hours?
Anata - Shuafat
Buses await pupils in the transportation lot; many pupils are on holiday.
The traffic jam continues deep into the camp, its end invisible. The checking booths were all active, and the lane closest to the building was kept for pupils who are not checked. But checking was slow, as though the persons checking had not yet woken up.
Shortly after our arrival the commander came up to ask how things looked to us. We asked why another lane for vehicles was not open, and got the standard reply: no manpower; awaiting another team. But around us soldiers, guards and border-police are milling around, chatting and bantering, with time on their hands, with no concern for drivers who may be pressed for time.
Meantime, the commander urged those working to speed up the inspections. It helped a little. After a while, as the line grew longer, a military vehicle arrived, a team alighted and opened another lane, as well as the first lane for public transportation. The lines diminished and by 8 o'clock there were almost no cars waiting for inspection.
Had this happened 20-30 minutes earlier, much frustration and anger would have been avoided.