Hizmeh - Qalandiya

While we Jews have our problems at the Hizmeh crossing point, seems the Pals. have found a friend to help out with their problems.

Jan McGirk, USINFO Special Correspondent, reports:-

The main highway connecting Ramallah to Jerusalem has been sadly neglected for years. The road has changed little since the days of the British Mandate for Palestine (1920-1948), and no major repairs have been undertaken to this narrow and badly potholed highway since Jordan resurfaced it before the 1967 war.

For 40 years, no government agency would take charge and repave the derelict highway because of its sensitive location. Just 14.4 kilometers from Jerusalem, this road runs past an Israeli military checkpoint with 7.5-meter concrete walls and beside the teeming Qalandiya refugee camp before continuing toward the seat of the Palestinian Authority government. For security reasons, the Israelis refused construction permits, and they were unwilling to finance the repairs themselves.

But in summer 2007, after nearly $2.5 million was allocated to the project, the bulldozers got started and the earth moved.

Two narrow lanes are being widened to four, with extra parking strips beside commercial zones to minimize obstructions. Drainage pipes and gutters are being installed. Before the winter rains bring mud and misery, this 1.6-kilometer stretch of road is scheduled to be upgraded completely and resurfaced. It will link up seamlessly with road projects paid for by German and Malaysian funds, resulting in an unprecedented smooth ride.

When workers contracted by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) started ripping up this dreaded bottleneck, most commuters appeared thrilled, even though construction work snarled the traffic even further and the delays frayed drivers’ tempers.

“It must be one of the worst roads in the Middle East,” said Haithan Hamad, who commutes daily from Bethlehem, just 22 kilometers away -- if there are no detours. “It took me nearly five hours to get home during Ramadan,” he complained. “These repairs are long overdue, believe me.”

A $2.5 million project is widening and repaving the Qalandiya Road, which carries thousands of cars daily. (Photo by Jan McGirk)“Well, I see the Americans have come to our rescue,” said Jamila Salem, a mother of twins waiting at a bus stop on the route. Car owners like her often prefer to take the bus or even a taxi to protect their private vehicles from being damaged by the rutted roadway.

Hmmm. Are you thinking what am I thinking?