International Checkpoint Watch - Daily Observations

Date:   July 28, 2001                                        Time: 17:00

Place Observed: Kalandia, Ram, Ein Arik (from about 17:45-9:00)

Number of Soldiers Present:  at Ein arik - approx 5

Soldiers Names, ID #’s, License Plate #’s, Etc:

Events Witnessed:   17:00  Qalandia Checkpoint.   There was some shooting by Israeli soldiers, but the checkpoint was clear, so we went on to Ram.

17:15 A-Ram  Fairly clear, they stopped a few vehicles going through, but just checked Ids, no one made to get out.  So we went back to Qalandia, but although there was still shooting (from soldiers in jeep on the runway strip to little boys with slingshots behind the fence, normal place), the checkpoint was clear. 

17:45 Ein Erik.  Here there was backlog of about 7 vehicles going out, and 3 or 4 going in into Ramallah. The numbers fluctuated around this while we were there.  Soldiers were letting most CARS through, but stopping almost every service van/ ford van.  Every van stopped, they made all the men under the age of 30 get out and stand on side of road while they checked Ids.  We talked to servuice drivers, who said that the under-30 thing is just today’s policy - ie sometimes they ask all men, sometimes older ones etc.  When we got there, there was a van that had been waiting for about 45 mins, while the soldiers checked ids, but when we got there, most of the fords were stopped for about 15 mins max.  The exception to this was a guy driving a white van, with no other passengers. He was driving in the Ramallah direction, and was stopped just after we got there, made to pull over, get out of car and wait on road side.  As we left, he was still there, so we asked him if he wanted us to contact anyone, or to give us his name or anything. He said, no, this happened to him at this checkpitn every day, - he said his name is on one of the Israeli lists, so they always make him get out, and phone their superiors, then let him go.  He said he’d be there another half an hour, and then he thought he would be through.  So generally at this checkpoint it was the usual harrassment, with the soldiers shouting at the men when they were getting out of vans ‘yalla, yalla, hurry hurry, come on’ etc, and making them stand on road, telling them to stand up if they sat down etc.