Qalqiliya, Sun 4.11.07, Afternoon

Summary

The resilience of the Palestinians under occupation never ceases to

amaze us, as week in, week out, we go from place to place in the

Occupied Palestinian Territories, from checkpoint to checkpoint,

listening to people we know, others that we've only just

met. Sumud, being steadfast in the face of all difficulty, is one

of the qualities that keeps Palestinians going. It helps Abu Ghatem

and family deal with the problems brought on by the lack of visible

earning power, which, over the years, we've seen go from something to

nothing. It helps drivers passing the checkpoint at Anabta deal with

the on and off again requirements of stopping and checking, at the

whim of the occupier, and it seems to help most Palestinians to be

unceasingly courteous and polite, many, including the workers of

Tulkarm Municipality, putting up electricity for the seam line

village of Jubara, even to be cheerful in the face of such appalling

adversity.

Qalqiliya 17:15 

It is now almost pitch dark, and there is an endless line of vehicles,

almost up to the main road. It is hard to get into the parking lot,

but everybody is patient, although we soon learn that people have

been in line for an hour! At the checking station, one of the border

police is on the phone, visibly excited and overwrought. Checking is

swift. The problem, huge trucks oversize for any roadway, but

particularly this one which is, or was, once a narrow country lane.

Drivers of cars with Israeli plates and no permits argue with the

border police. “I don't do any favors for anyone. I am wearing a

uniform.” After that, the not uncommon phenomenon of Israeli

shouting!

A fuel tank, one, we assume, to be placed underground at a gas

station, probably 25-28 meters long, borne aloft on an Israeli truck,

finally reaches the checkpoint, but the driver has no permit for the

vehicle. There is more shouting, and the border police jeeps are

joined by a blue police jeep. One soldier tells another that vehicles

and trucks should not get to the checking area; a blue policeman and

one soldier now begin to check that vehicle papers are in order

before reaching the checking area, and help trucks and cars go

around the tanker. Some efficiency is brought to the situation. A few

minutes later, spikes are moved from the roadway for the huge

behemoth to be parked on the side of the checkpoint. But yet other

trucks have to turn back in the narrow space, and the chaos

continues.

17:30 -18:00

Checking of trunks of Palestinian vehicles now

starts, five soldiers working; pedestrians, coming into Qalqiliya,

are also stopped, for casual ID checking (although the cards are

hardly glanced at by the soldier who collects them)! A Hummer

arrives, moves into the front ranks of vehicles to be checked. It

bears soda for the soldiers who stop for a Cola break.

"Don't worry", says one Palestinian passing us, "it will all be fine,"

(sumud)! Cheerful truck drivers, still stopped in line, tell us

they have only waited twenty minutes (more sumud), but the procession

towards Qalqiliya still goes on forever.