Ramallah Report

national | miscellaneous | news report Sunday June 15, 2003 22:10 by Brendan Young

Day 13

Final report from Tony Richardson

Day 13 Final Report

Checkpoint watch is being organised for the others. There are 8 checkpoints to cover in the area surrounding Nablus. The discussion on the armies shooting excursion in to Balata Camp last night reveals that it went on for 2 hours.

Head off for Huwarda checkpoint about midday. Big queue of mainly men. It is clear that the army is only letting the women through, with an occasional man. After an hour tempers are getting frayed. I am getting near the front, maybe another half hour. One of the soldiers pulls me out, and asked to see my passport, then pushes me on my way. Obviously feels that only Palestinians should be treated this way.

Walk half a mile to where the shared Taxis are, this is as close as the Israelis will let them get. Some boys are making money by carrying people and luggage in donkey carts. I help two women, with two kids and a couple of toy bikes.

One of the disadvantages of slow moving checkpoints is that the taxis take a long time to fill. They have to fill, because they only charge 3 pounds for the checkpoint-dodging 2 hour journey. So I wait an hour. Just as we start our taxi has a puncture, lucky this didn't happen on one of the cliff edge back roads.

Back to Qalandia, then to Jerusalem, we even have another checkpoint on the way there. By the time I check in to my hotel, I manage to miss a 'Peace Now' demonstration at the 'Jaffa' gate of the old city. I shall sleep well tonight, and head out for the airport tomorrow.

Tony Richardson