Qalandiya

3 days after 2 attacks on Israel with 9
killed, and 2 days after arrest of Moslem clerics and mayor of Um
El Fahim. Ar-Ram checkpoint is busy, but brisk. Qalandya: Streaming
with people, school children men and women. All are well dressed
and not yet dusty. Almost all pass through, except 3 teenage girls.
Although people under 16 need no ID, the officer in charge decides
that they are over 16, and will not let them through to school and
their exams. On calling Liat, BP spokesperson, she insisted that
nobody could go through, since there is a state of closure today.
At our eyewitness account to the contrary, she passed us to Safadi,
who got the girls through. In the first hour of our shift not one
car, from either direction, moved. As we approached, vehicles began
to move, but very slowly. The officer in charge also spoke with the
soldiers and that got them working a bit. Please note, no checking
of vehicles was done (including loaded trucks). Soldiers just
chatted and moved v..e.r.y slowly.