Madison-Rafah Journal

Emptiness, very little movement, no life, humiliation

Nina Mayorek of MachsomWatch, Occupation Magazine, 21 July 2007

Saturday morning

8 AM-Huwarra
There is a large amount of yellow cabs at a new parking lot by the checkpoint. Taxi drivers compete for a few potential passengers. A taxi driver approaches us and asks for our help in getting running water and toilets. The occupier 'generously' arranged such a well signed-posted parking lot with clear markings in blue and white colors where parking is allowed but underemployed drivers who await passengers for the whole day in blazing sun want more.
The passage through the checkpoint seems to be rather quick, but passing men tell us they have been waiting between 15 min to one hour. Each man has to take off his trousers belt, present his ID and open all belongings. One should do it in a relaxed manner with a pleasant expression on one`s face. Otherwise, as we witnessed, a young man is taken to a closed cabin and a soldier performs a body search. We asked this man how the search was done. 'Oh, nothing special' said the young man, 'I just had to take my trousers and shoes off, and the searching soldier asked me why I am so nervous, and I told him that this is my nature, I can do nothing about it.'
One could imagine that one is in a third world airport and has to undergo checking before getting into an airplane, but no, this is 'normal' checking on the way to a visit to an auntie, to work, or to some other daily arrangements.

10 a.m Atara (Northern entrance to Ramallah)
The movement of cars is scarce. There is a summer holiday for schools and students. Nobody goes to the seashore, because it is not allowed to Palestinians to go there, and now, this summer, access was denied to Palestinian families even to that last small stretch of the Dead Sea shore. Border policmen are bored and want to speak with us. The policeman that approaches is a nice chap. He lives in a nearby settlement. He has an excellent job so near his home. 'There is relaxation in checking, explains this soldier. We are ordered to make only sample-checking'. These are clearly the good will gestures for Abu-Mazen.