Qalandiya

Ar-Ram 16:20. One detainee, caught
trying to bypass the checkpoint, his ID was being checked. There
were no white transits where they usually assemble, and the
passer-by couldn't tell us whether it was coincidence or some new
policy.

Qalandya South: No merchandise is allowed through Qalandya any
more, it has to go to Betunia, using the back to back method. This
of course makes everything longer, and more expensive. A child with
a flushed face excitedly tells us that a soldier had grabbed his
box of pens (his merchandise) hit him on the head, then handed back
the box and told him to get lost or he'll hit him again. 'He should
be in prison' the boy said emphatically, 'I agree' I said. However,
the child lives in Hebron, sees his family which he supports barely
once every two weeks and his presence there was illegal, so it goes
without saying he wasn't going to file a complaint against the
soldier. A teenager waiting for his brother was chased off the
checkpoint premises, meaning the shade. It turned out two soldiers
were consistently ordering all those who looked for refuge in the
shade, outside to the blazing sun. 'They are liars.. they are not
waiting for anyone... they are noisy' 'They can gather information
about us'. But they stopped harassing the people, who slowly
gathered again under the shade. A Palestinian taxi broke down right
in front of the checkpoint. The driver asked permission to roll the
car through the checkpoint northwards, towards Ramallah, to a
garage. The soldiers refused.

Qalandya South, N. summoned all for his known briefing. Overall we
had the same impression we have had for a while: the rules are
clearer but more strictly enforced. It is hard to intervene. N. is
not accessible. The only time we were able to make him reconsider
something was regarding a young man who had been released after a
year and a half of administrative detention. He was trying to go
home somewhere near Nablus, and mistakenly crossed to North
Qalandya. We convinced N. to check the man's story. But he didn't
manage to do that, and the young man left, to try his luck
bypassing the checkpoint. N. did not allow two young men from
Jaba’a home, nor a young woman from Ar-Ram. A Palestinian American
couple, with valid American passports, who had arrived three days
earlier, were not allowed southwards with the claim they don't have
a visa. We couldn't determine (but plan to find out) whether it was
Nadav's whim or some policy we don't quite understand. The American
couple however were not allowed through, and finally gave up.