'Atara, Hizma, Jaba (Lil), Qalandiya, Mon 25.6.12, Afternoon

We decided to add some spice to our shift by visiting Atara CP on our way to Qalandiya.  When we reached Atara we saw that traffic was flowing in both directions and there were no soldiers in the positions on the road.  The watch tower also looked deserted.  No soldiers could be seen in the tower or in its small courtyard surrounded by cement blocks.  Barbed wire was stretched across all the entrances.  Only the light still shining in the lamp-post caused us to wonder if there were soldiers on duty there somewhere.  We didn't get an answer.

On our way back to Qalandiya, we decided to try our luck and drive straight there via Lil/Jabba CP.  We put an MW sign on the windshield and wore our MW tags prominently. 

When the soldier stopped us and asked where we were going, we smiled and told him that we were the MW team for the afternoon shift at Qalandiya.  Much to our surprise he waved us through, shortening our trip and saving us bother.

4 PM:  At Qalandiya CP two passageways were operating and remained open for the whole of our shift.  In one of the lines we met an old friend who told us that the situation at the CP had improved considerably over the past 10 days.  There was no one on line for DCO services. During our shift the lines got somewhat longer as more people finished their day's work or studies and arrived at the CP on their way home, but the lines kept moving and waiting time remained fairly short.

Nothing much happened at Qalandiya during our shift.  We left at 5 PM and returned to Jerusalem via Lil/Jabba and Hizma CPs.  Traffic was flowing at both CPs.