Corona Times Report: Qalqiliya – the checkpoint is open

Place:

Qalqiliya

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Updates during Corona

Observers:

Daniela G’ transfers a telephone report

Apr-17-2020

Morning

At the beginning of this Corona journey O. sounded especially angry and assuming all sorts of conspiracy theories. As time went by, he became a bit calmer.

When we spoke about two weeks into this time, he said he spent many nights sleeping away from home (he and his nephew are the only ones who were issued permits) for Qalqiliya was under curfew, no one coming in or out, until he decided to enter somehow and got to see his family and sleep at home for one night.

A week later he still did not return home at night for the Palestinian checkpoint was open for crossing only between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m., and he said he couldn't leave work so early, they never manage to do it all in such a short time.

Last Friday, he said that for some days he has been going home every day, the checkpoint is open for Qalqiliya residents. The children are home all day, not attending school or kindergarten, and all in all, everyone's okay.

(He is charming as usual, and sends photos of flowers as holiday greetings, good morning, good weekend, good week...).

Why do we take the trouble to report in Corona times as well?

Because democracy’s watchdogs have fallen asleep on their own watch, so Israeli citizens have no idea what is actually happening in the Occupied Territories, especially now.

Day and night, Israeli soldiers (as the State’s emissaries) help extreme settler-colonists take the law into their own hands, unhampered. They do not stop even in days of a raging pandemic and do not hesitate to harm Palestinians – their bodies, property, and sources of livelihood.

Unceasing harassment of the weakened Palestinian population inflicts psychological harm as well. All – from babies through and including the elderly and the ill – are open prey to Jewish violence and terrorism which the settler-colonists are only too eager to exert.

We of MachsomWatch will not cease to report, certainly not now during these Corona times and under the threat of annexation, about the settlers’ increased rampages, those who hurry to set facts on the ground helped by the Israeli army.

Israel rules the West Bank, and by force of the Geneva Convention, article no. 27, it is committed to enforcing law and order there. The inhabitants of these Occupied Territories have the legal right “to decent treatment of their body and dignity, and should be especially protected against any act of violence”.

Ironically, this is not at all upheld.

Nor shall we cooperate with the commonplace ignoring of the Palestinian people’s suffering, and with the Israeli public’s indifference to it. We shall continue to follow up closely and report the goings-on in the West Bank, in its villages and encampments.

No one should be able to say ‘We knew nothing, we heard nothing’

Location Description

Qalqiliya checkpoint

See all reports for this place

Qalqilya is surrounded on all sides by the separation barrier. The only exit from the city is in the east of the city on the road that leaves the city in an easterly direction. This is where the checkpoint was located. When the checkpoint was active until 2009 our shifts watched long queues of cars being inspected at the only exit from the city to the West Bank. The checkpoint was canceled, but there is a military presence at the entrance to the city.

Feb-19-2024

Anat Polak

Asira al-Qibliya: the wall and ceiling of the balcony are charred

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