Qalandiya - digging, flattening and destroying
After destruction of the roundabout comes the turn of the road leading to the West Bank towards road 443. The Israeli authorities are digging, flattening and destroying.
The noise is unbearable, clouds of dust mix with the vehicles’ exhaust fumes, traffic to the West Bank is directed to winding detour streets in the Atarot industrial zone, and the time it takes to get to Qalandiya has doubled.
Later, security official Raslan said: all this is happening because the road is being improved. When the work is done, there will be several traffic lanes. It will take another few months.
Sitting with taxi drivers waiting for fares at the opening of the bridge, I learned that in the early morning hours, when thousands arrive at the place that is supposed to be a central bus station (under construction), a place where people also perform their morning prayers, there are no adequate conditions either for prayer of for whoever need to relieve themselves (namely have to pee…).
At the corner of the compound, adjacent to the steps, a mobile unit has been placed with two doors leading to two toilets, to serve thousands of women and men.
Because of the stench, the crowding and the waiting line at the doors, many prefer to relieve themselves outside. Not once, nor twice – Jerusalem municipal inspectors, overt and/or covert, have emerged and fined the urinators for 450 shekels.