Tarqumiya

Tarqumiya, Wednesday 2.2.05, AMWatchers: Ella and ShanunitWe arrived at 5:30 and accepted warmly. First by the barrier commander, H., and then by the people standing in the line. When we arrived there were about 50 people waiting to pass, slowly it accumulate to 100. in front of them was a soldier calling name after name by there group of arrival. The pass was quite slow, and sometimes no one passed. The waiting time was up to half an hour.On the contrary to the Palestinians workers, who took part in the script exactly as they're expected, the settlers were un satisfied even with few minutes of delay. The soldiers said that they're routine settlers every morning horning and remarking.In a personal tone: even though there weren't any "special occasions" this shift was hard for both of us, since it's our first time in tarkumia. We've noticed the small details which empowered the humiliation feeling : the Palestinians standing in rear organized row, their fear that avoided them to pass the barrier even when the soldiers weren't there to wait to the checking (they just stood there waiting to be noticed) the soldiers' and specially their commander's attempt to be nice to the Palestinians. Attempt which obviously didn't go well because it just put them in a place even more patronizing and aggressive. For example he asked the Palestinians why they're smiling only to us when they're saying good morning, and told them to smile. After watching the morning events it was hard to response the attempt of the soldiers to be nice to us and to ask us questions, to be friendly. We felt as we were just a fig leave. We left at 7:15 when the last workers passed the barrier.