Number of Soldiers Present: Four
Soldiers Names, ID #’s, License Plate #’s, Etc:
Events Witnessed:
A lot of cars lined up to exit Ramallah. Two of the soldiers seem to be in charge of “organizing” the traffic, especially the service taxis picking up pedestrians to Ramallah. They stop in front of the vegetable stand and quickly fill up.
The soldiers sneak up to the last service and all we can see is that they have thrown a teargas canister inside the vehicle. Abundant white smoke comes out from the open doors. People run and scream.
A. goes down toward the two soldiers and asks the first one “why are you doing this?” He points to his colleague and says “no English.” The colleague is more cooperative and starts telling A. that the taxis should not stop at the corner but further down the road. That these people “had been told many times but would not listen”. That’s why the soldiers have to “teach them a lesson,” he said. At this point his commander gives him a sign not to talk, and he goes back to the checkpoint. A bit later we see the two soldiers again sneaking up to the next service taxi on the Ramallah side. A. follows them quickly and sees them take the keys out of the car. The driver gets upset, he and other men ask us to intervene to help them get the car keys back. So A. goes and talks to the commander at the checkpoint. He reacts a bit surprised with obvious unease. He says “Look, I don’t like this, but it is my job. I hate my job, I don’t like to be here, but it is my job now.” A. asks him why they have to gas people, that these people are no threat to them (soldiers), that the drivers need to make an income etc. He says “I know, I’m on your side, only peace can put an end to this awful situation. But I have a job to do now, would you please do me a favor and tell the drivers not to stop there any more, because I don’t like to use gas…” Eventually he returns the keys to the driver. Already another young man comes up to A. and asks her for intervention about getting back his confiscated ID. The commander becomes nervous and asks A. to please let him do his job and leave.
When A. gets home she finds out that one of the passengers of the gassed service had been her husband. His eyes took a long time to stop burning.