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May-29-2003
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Michaela R and Yehudit E

Thursday, 29.5.03, 13:00-14:30

We decided to survey the military court checkpoint through which,
according to Roni Numa, the Binyamin commander, ambulances to and
fro Ramallah will be allowed to pass. The roadblock is at the
western exit of Ramallah, near what is called Zomet Ayosh, and at
the entrance to the military compound of Beth El, about half an
hour's drive from Jerusalem.

Upon arrival we were told by the checkpoint commander that we were
not welcome at the checkpoint, but a message left for Na'ama cleard
the matter in a few minutes. When we phoned operations instead, the
woman soldier in charge had already known about our shift and
within minutes we were approached by the DCO officer, Adam, and got
a comprehensive explanation about the checkpoint:

It is intended for ambulances and medical staff, for diplomats, UN
staff, for foreign organisations and for Israeli organisations like
the Peres Centre for Peace, after coordination with the DCO. Only
vehicular traffic is allowed through. Lawyers on their way to the
court, which is a little farther than the checkpoint (from the
Ramallah direction) are allowed through.

During our stay there quite a few ambulances got through within
minutes. For cars it took up to 15 minutes. The check was
superficial.

It seems that an occasional visit at this checkpoint would suffice
and on the way we can enter Anata, where today a group of border
policemen was standing nest to a jeep without checking any
thing.