Cloak and Dagger: Part 1 – “Cloaked”
Even though they KNEW I didn’t have a flight until the middle of November they screwed up my visa, just to screw with me. When the guy handed my passport to me he said “Ok, well.. welcome” and didn’t mention that minor detail. A chill ran down my spine as I realized it was most likely intentional, aimed at causing me to overstay my visa and thereby win myself a spot on Israel’s “most unwelcome list.” Well nice, now I have to attempt to extend my visa by arranging a meeting with the Ministry of Interior.
Since it’s Friday noon when I notice the treachery I decide to go ahead and book a room for another 5 days. Israel’s “weekend” is Friday and Saturday… awesome. I spend the weekend collecting about 6 numbers that could be the right number to call the Ministry. On Sunday I score a SIM card for Israel so I can call them since I notice on the Ministry website you have to CALL in order to schedule an appointment.
After a day of calling, and calling, only to hear what seem to be Hebrew messages to the effect of “This number is disconnected, fuck you very much” I decide to just go down there. After going through security I wait in line to attempt to get an appointment… and notice a piece of paper on the wall with a number and notice to the effect you MUST get them on the phone to arrange an appointment. After 2 days of calling I decide to ask anyway. When I finally arrive at the front of the line a middle aged woman, thrilled with her job, tells me I need to call. I tell her I have been calling, and calling, and then she confesses the office is closed that day. Nice.
I return the next day, wait in the line again, then am directed to wait in another line, where I’m given a piece of paper with the same number on it by a woman who’s trying in vain to answer a flood of phone calls. In Jerusalem, it turns out, all attempts to extend a visa are answered by one woman, and only from 8:00 to 13:00.
I go back to the line, and begin feverishly calling the number over and over again, as if I’m trying to win a free TV or something. After about 30 minutes of this I make it to the head of another line and am told I need to call to make the appointment. Well… neat. I finally return to the office that gave me the number only to notice that at that point the phone was ringing and the lady had stopped answering it completely, because the number of people in my position had grown and we were all mobbing her office attempting to talk to someone, anyone. She gives me an appointment – in 3 weeks. Fucking awesome. I take it, because it’s really the only thing I can do at this point.
That evening I’m IMing with a few folks and they ask me how it is in Palestine. I explain to them I haven’t made it yet because I’ve been “occupied.”
March 10th, 2010 at 11:16 am
You have tested it and writing form your personal experience or you find some information online?
March 20th, 2010 at 4:14 pm
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May 6th, 2010 at 4:51 pm
This is all personal experience. Merely a log of some of the less “scary” things that happened to me in Palestine as a result of the Israeli Occupation.