Qalandiya

Observers: T. S., C. B., N. A., S.
A.

Qalandia - even though a soldier was present at the southern
checkpoint, he did not examine permits – sometime afterwards, the
examination of permits was started at this checkpoint and persons
without exemptions were not allowed to pass to Ramallah on the
pretext that they could not return from there. The queue at the
northern checkpoint was relatively short and upon our question one
of the soldiers answered that very many persons had passed early
because of the holiday.

We met Fares, the liaison officer, who was very eager to hear what
was written in the two earlier reports of last week-end in
“Yedioth” – and the commander of the checkpoint even knew the name
of the author of the book. Notwithstanding the holiday, in general
no persons without exemptions were allowed to pass – Fares, who was
present, allowed a number of persons to pass, while “reeducating”
them: “these papers are fake; how much did you pay for them” etc. A
man on crutches who showed his ID without permit to one of the
volunteers did not understand the volunteer’s remarks, that were
made in Hebrew, and said: “not know, not understand” – the
volunteer looked at him and said: “you say that you don’t
understand Hebrew, but when I say ‘girl’ you understand al lright?”
- the embarrassed man averted his gaze in view of this rudeness.
This volunteer behaved throughout his watch in this brutal way and
shouted continuously.

The line of cars was very long. Three soldiers examined the cars
and the numbered carts, and because they were examining the carts,
the line of cars was held up for a very long time.

A-Ram: immediately upon our arrival one of the border policemen
insisted that we show our Identity Cards. There were two detainees
and the hour was much past the breaking of the fast. The border
policemen were very aggressive – we waited there for over half an
hour and only then the detainees got their papers back and were
released.