Waiting in the rain and cold in the Holy Land

8 January 2007

“The Prophets did not have crossings and military barriers. This is not life, but hell.” These words came from an elderly Palestinian resident of the northwestern West Bank province of Qalqilia. He was waiting to obtain “permission” from Israeli forces to enter East Jerusalem. His wish was to visit his grandson in the long-time slated capital of the Palestinian state.

The 75 years old man was waiting in a lengthy line at the gate of the crossing to pass through the Wall that surrounds Qaliqilia. The rain poured down on him and he began shouting. “I do not want a work permit. I want to visit my grandson in my own country and I want to get moving!”

Another resident, 34 year old Ahmed Sheikh Hamed, was also in the line awaiting the magnetic card issued by Israeli forces occupying the West Bank necessary to travel just short distances. He tired to calm the elderly man, but knew it was in vain as the entire situation is so wrong. “There are harsh 'security' measures in place here. In the winter the waiting is as difficult as during the hottest summer months. Hundreds of workers wait here for the Israelis to allow us passage, one at a time.” He pointed to the fingerprinting devices that allow Israeli soldiers to know the "entire biography of each Palestinian."

The northern Qalqilia crossing opened in June 2005, which is the only one in the northern West Bank. Palestinian laborers wait for hours in hopes of making it to work.

The Israeli government, which effectively controls all Palestinian lands, even refused requests from the Qalqilia Municipality to allow toilets to be installed under the pretext that the checkpoint is “outside the city limits” and therefore “under the control of Israeli security.”

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