Ar-Ram, Qalandiya, יום ד' 12.11.08, אחה"צ

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Observers: 
Ivonne M, Hannah T, Marta (visitor from Italy) collaborative report
Nov-12-2008
|
Afternoon
  :

Qalandiya checkpoint.  For Marta, this was her first encounter
with a checkpoint.  We decided to begin with a quote from her words at the end
of the shift

"Even though I am accustomed to difficult sights, I am a nurse
in an operating room I am in shock.  The amounts of iron.  Everything is so
fixed.  Organized to perfection. Prepared well.  It appears as if this place is
prepared for another 2000 years  I looked at the people in their cages, on their
faces.  I saw the expression of terrible humiliation and dehumanization;  a
feeling of loss of hope -- desperation.  They don't care about what is
photographed or what is written.  Afterall, we are not able to help them.  The
lighting on the walls gives me the feeling of one big prison.  I sensed
tremendous hidden violence.  The woman soldier in the hut (near the cages) is
the age of my daughter.  She was sitting and cracking sunflower seeds. Near her,
there was a big bottle of Cola, and she was signalling with her hand.  From time
to time, she pressed a button.  People passed.  She closed the turnstile in
their faces and returns.  The soldier looks at me and cannot understand why I am
looking at her.

And another thing.  In my opinion, The position of the soldiers
in relation to the people is not professional"

We did not understand Marta, and she explained.  "This is a
place that is supposed to give service to the population.  The appearance, the
body language, the tone of speaking, the way the people are approached, the
manners, all should be appropriate.  (Marta comes from Europe).  The behavior of
the soldiers was very arrogant and there is a feeling that law does not apply in
this place".

16:20 Ar Ram.  There were 21 vehicles in the line to Jerusalem. 
The passage in the wall by which we used to travel to Qalandiya is closed and
the wall is complete.  We passed via an iron gate that was open.  A football
field was upscaled into a stadium with two original exits. 

16:40 Qalandiya fromo the north.

In the closed areas of the plaza there were few people and only
lane 4 was open.  In the area infront of it, there was a thick line.  One
Palestinian said, we are like cattle.  This is humiliating.  We also
looked inside the cage in embarrassment.

16:50  The line in the left cage poured into the hut and there
was still just lane 4 operating. 

17:07 The square for vehicles.  Two lanes were open in the
direction of Jerusalem.  There were 25 cars in the line.  The waiting time was
at least 15 minutes.  Throughout our entire shift, the traffic was heavy in all
directions.

A doctor from Ramallah who works in Jerusalem said to us: Change
the regulations.  Medical crews must also go to Qalandiya.  It takes me an hour
and a half to cross every morning.  Request to ease up on the passage for people
with permits and who fulfill special functions.  A demonstration is being
scheduled in the coming days and we were requested to come. 

We saw today that it is possible to open just one lane in the
afternoon, and the world is not destroyed.