'Anata, Ar-Ram, Qalandiya, Thu 22.5.08, Morning

6.20 a.m. Anata - 2 lanes of the usual busy traffic, gradually building up. Checking of cars thorough but efficient.

7.00 a.m. A-Ram - Many schoolchildren had to open bags for checking, but this seemed
to be quite arbitrary, depending on the particular policeman/woman at
the time.

Enormously long line of cars each of which was thoroughly checked at one of two checkpoints

After struggling up the hill we found, as noted above, a deep
ditch in the gap where we usually cross the wall. A local man told us
that this had been dug two days ago, preparatory to closing the wall
altogether. Many individuals were very helpful in helping us find the
way to the large lower gate.

7.30 a.m. Qalandiah --We were amazed to find so few people! The carousels - two were
operating - were open all the time. No one seemed to be able to explain
the phenomenon, because apparently yesterday there had been crowds
while, according to locals, even early this morning, before our
arrival, it was quiet.

At gate 5, we heard a woman being harshly dismissed with a mixed
Arabic-Hebrew "no permit - no passage" and being told "go home," though
she was obviously trying to explain something to the woman soldier.
When we saw that she was holding an application form for a
magnetic pass, we realised that in fact she was needing the DCO. The
soldier told us that this would open only at 9.30, but couldn't explain
why so late.

A young man waiting for the DCO showed us a letter stating that he
was no longer barred for security reasons from getting a permit. He
too, of course was waiting for the DCO to open. He apparently got this
clearance thanks to the efforts of Machsomwatch !

Unfortunately, we could not wait until 9.30 to see if he was already included in the computer.