Afternoon

Very cold, muddy, the second day of the 4 day holiday Id Al-Adha. Many people dressed smartly, families with children, women with their long dresses have to lift them so they won't be covered in mud, but all in vain. Qalandya South, 3.40 p.m.Although there is a brand new sign telling people that even if they pass northward, it doesn't mean they will be allowed back. It doesn't seem to work. They pass nevertheless, but as none of us can read Arabic we couldn't establish whether it was because the sign wasn't explicit enough or some other reason.Many people, almost no yellow/Palestinian taxis to be seen, and not many Transit vans. Everyone seems to be allowed to pass northwards.Qalandya North, 3.50 p.m.There was an older volunteer called Benny, bulky and with a moustache, Arabic speaking, who was relatively 'fair' and polite. There was also a new soldier barking , 'yala yala', 'huja' as if shoving away a herd of cows -- a really stereotypical colonialist, with condescending body language and rude voice. His rifle (when receiving Palestinians for the ID scrutiny) was pointed towards the incomers, casually, like a third arm. He has some kind of an accent, but I wasn't sure which one.Orange and green IDs all turned back, even very old women, families with little children, very few exceptions, but we couldn't decipher what was the reason for their 'good fortune'.Car checking was at a relatively fast pace. A man with crutches was asked to come out of the car and open his trunk. Three ambulances were all allowed to pass through relatively quickly.An old looking man (of about 70) desperately tried to convey something to the soldiers. Finally, after failing in his attempts he turned to us. We found someone to translate. The man lives near Atarot and has an orange ID. The previous day he tried to pass southwards through the quarry and was caught. His ID was taken and the soldier told him to come to Kalandia checkpoint at 5 p.m. the next day to claim his ID, which he did. The soldiers insisted that that soldier wasn't one of them, that there were no stray IDs lying around, that it wasn't there and that's that.We called the Moked which was going to try calling his house so maybe someone would give them the ID number, with the hope it might turn up. The man eventually said he had to go and pray. The Moked was going to try to help him. He has R's number too, so he went before anything could be resolved...A man with an orange ID was refused passage. He insisted, 'I passed ten minutes ago, how is it that you won't let me through', He seems desperate and shocked. It turns out he lives in Abu-tur. His wife had a blue ID, but nothing (within the 'law') could be done for him...Around 5.45 p.m. lights went on.And a relatively optimistic incident: Father and son pass, festive, the small boy laughing heartily while making faces at the soldiers, 'boom boom boom' he gives as his last farewell, it was nice to see he felt he can, he seemed trusting, not afraid, lucky enough the soldiers didn't seem to mind.