Ar-Ram, Qalandiya, French Hill

7:00 – A long line of cars (about 30) going south at Ar-Ram, and many school buses parked along the right hand side, narrowing the way.7:10 – The machasom is manned by soldiers and kav ha tefer volunteers.It has been shortened by about 20 meters or so. The butke for detainees was taken away, and now it all seems much like a regular border post . There is free passage south for students and teachers (no one checks them) until around 8:15 p.m. All passengers’ i.d. are checked until that time, and later – occasionally. The line isn’t very long – 10 at the most. Some green and orange i.d. are allowed to go through without the proper permission – thanks to the “kav hatefer” soldier’s consideration. A very long line of cars was waiting to go south and was not dealt with for about two hours. Then as we get there (7:20-7:50) it began to move: 10 cars in half an hour, after a thoroughcheck. Taxi drivers at the northern point tell that this has so far been a tough week at Qalandiya: a child fell and had to be taken to hospital. The butke was taken away, but now the detainees need to sit on the ground, and so on. There are 10 people at the northern checkpoint who were caught when they passed through the quarry; Y spoke with them and gives them Moked cards. As we started to go south, the “kav ha tefer” elder soldier ,who was very considerate to the Palestinians, took extra care to check every detail of our i.d.’s He said “you only interrupt human rights”, “you are suspects to me”, “look how you cause a delay for the whole line”. Water: running water at both sides of machsom: north – 3 taps, south – 5. 8:44 - On our way back we notice that all school buses at Ar-Ram are gone, and the cars’ line is much shorter. Just before the French hill junction there is a mobile checkpoint: jeep and 3 Border Police soldiers.