Qalandiya

Rainy, exceptionally quiet morning at Qalandiya.

05.20. Perhaps because of the rain there were fewer people than usual, and throughout our watch there were no queues. When we arrived it was empty, and as people gradually arrived they passed through right away. A turnstile remained open. 4 checking stations were working.

Perhaps the quiet atmosphere  might give a visitor a wrong impression of the usual state at Qalandiya.  The advantage, though, was that people were prepared to stop and chat with our visitor, and even let him photograph them. Our friend H. described to him his work in Mahane Yehuda and the long journey he has to make from his village. His return trip home takes 10 minutes, but coming to Jerusalem takes an hour and an uncertain waiting-time at the checkpoint. He also told of the restrictions placed on all the villages of the district after the Har Adar attack, of hardship caused by days of closure, and of low salaries on which social security benefits are based.

Another acquaintance, who works for a large Israeli gas company, also stopped for a long chat with our visitor. He has a steady job, delivering gas over a large area from Maale Adomim to Mavo Horon. He delivers also to Ofer military camp. He has good working conditions and is satisfied. He describes how one’s whole life is organized around the state of the checkpoint and how long it will take on any one day. He said that he has made contact with those responsible for this checkpoint, and lets them know each day about conditions.[I think he meant that if he is at the back of a very long line, he calls them.  In response they, too, report to him! Thus before he leaves home in the morning he contacts them and also his friends to find out what conditions are like, and then knows when to leave home …

We went outside to show our visitor – who had been here in the past – the destruction towards the expected renovations. The rain forced us back into the shed. Meanwhile a policeman and after him a woman D.C.O. officer arrived.

We left already at 6.30 and were through in a few minutes.