Qalandiya

Qalandya South 16:20: Several transits
detained next to the car lane. Standing by are two drivers and
their passengers, whose IDs had been taken away some time before.
Two hours, they said. Don't believe them, said S. But 15 minutes
later, their IDs were given back and all were free to go. Yellow
cabs coming from Jaba’a wanting to turn left were forced to make a
u-turn back. We reminded S. that it was he who had moved them from
their old parking place to the new one right after the turn, a
decision compelling them to turn left to reach it. The point was
conceded, the chase after the drivers stopped ...

Qalandya North 16:45 A., the checkpoint commander, seems a decent
chap. A young man had been waiting for his ID since 8 am.
Apparently, he was standing in line, talking on his cell phone,
when an irritated soldier ordered him to stop talking. To which he
answered, "What do you care?". The soldier took his ID,
and since then it seemed to have disappeared. By the time we left
the matter had not been resolved. Three women, a 51 year old
mother, her sister and her daughter, had been to a clinic in
Ramallah. They were turned back because though they live in A-Ram
their IDs said Halhul. We turned to A., who allowed them to pass.
Then we heard gun shots. They were fainter than usual, and further
away. S. said he was there, but not to worry, only rubber coated
bullets in the air. We called the army spokesman as well, and
minutes later, the shooting stopped.