Qalandiya

E.J., R.,Y., V.S. M.M. and two guests from Spain

It is still Id ElFeter.

A-Ram: very quiet, traffic flows. Change of shifts. Exercise with

rifles, Shafiq asks us very politely to move aside during the
exercise.

We leave shortly thereafter, does not seem to be a need for our
presence.

Qalandia south: Two soldiers checking not very
strictly.

Qalandia north: Very quiet. The traffic seems to be moving more
south

than north. A group of polite soldiers and volunteers but no
exceptions

are made. However E. did manage after much pleading to persuade one
of

the soldiers to allow the passage of a 47 years old man to cross
south

with his wife, two little children and father to celebrate the
holiday

with the rest of the family.

Another boy, almost 16 brings the photocopy of his Kushan, the
soldiers

insist to see the original, he is afraid that it will be taken from
him

and will be lost. E. suggests that he goes home and brings the
original

and we shall wait and see that it will no be taken from him. He
comes

back after 40 minutes with another photocopy but this time he
brings his

American passport which does not have a visa to Israel he claims.
We

convince him to show the passport which he does not let out of his
hands

while the soldiers look at it for fear it will be taken from him.
They

ascertain that he is 15 and a half and let him pass not without
warning

that in half a year he won't be able to go through.

A worker form Catholic Relief Services whose permit is till
1.12.03, but

from 1.9.03 is not allowed through and the soldiers will no budge.