Abu Dis, Container Wednesday PM, 3.11.04Observers: NR, YR, AF, TF (reporter)14:20 – 17:4014:20 Cliff HotelThe whole area is dug up. Heavy machines continue to dig in the ground. Two civilian guards sit outside the first floor’s window. No soldiers in sight. An operator says it is all for a drainage system. He also says the passage at the Bawabe has been completely closed and people pass here now, in the passage behind the Hotel. He adds that the soldiers checked IDs and held up the passage in order to discourage the people from passing. While we were speaking to him 3 people passed.14:35 Bawabe -Pishpash gateThe taxis are still waiting on the road, but the Bawabe is closed. The openings in the wall were blocked with stones and wires were put on the wall and on the road in front of it.One driver said it was shut on Monday, the day of the terrorist attack in Tel Aviv. The pedestrians go through the monastery adjoining the Bawabe, as they used to before, only now BP soldiers are stationed in the entrance.We crossed the iron gate of the monastery, and saw about 50 people waiting to pass into Jerusalem. The soldiers only allow the passage on the opposite direction. There are mothers with babies, elderly people, but mainly young people, probably students. One says he has been waiting for 30 minutes, and wasn’t the first to arrive. About 10 people try to go to the place where it was possible to jump off the wall, but it is blocked with wire.Slowly the people start approaching the gate. A small child start running towards the gate. Her mother, carrying another baby in a sling, runs after her, and both manage to escape the sight of the soldiers and get through. The rest of the people are stuck. The soldiers go out and shut it, preventing passage to either direction.14:50Suddenly the gate is opened, by command of S., the commander. Everyone is allowed to pass. The reason is unclear (perhaps the number of the people, our presence, or for no reason). On the way back a driver stops us and complains: “you write and take pictures, then you put it under the table”.15:25 ContainerBP soldiers and a DCO representative. No detainees. On the Jerusalem lane there’s little traffic, but the Bethlehem lane is slowing down. Plenty of cars get checked. 15:40A private van going south is detained and parks on the side of the lane inside the checkpoint. The soldiers are busy sweeping the checkpoint. 10 minutes later the van goes back and stops by us. The driver, V., is supposed to transport olive oil to the Psychiatric Hospital in Bethlehem, and has all the necessary documentation and permits. Apparently he can go to Tel Aviv, but is not allowed to go to Bethlehem, because his permit is wrapped in nylon. He says he passed 11 checkpoints today and has encountered no problems because of the nylon. Here the soldier asked him to remove it, but it is impossible to do so without destroying the document entirely.15:50We call Avi Biton. He says he will call the commander in the checkpoint. The soldiers continue the check ups. A taxi to Bethlehem is stopped, all its passengers asked to get off, their IDs checked and they are sent back on their way. A taxi to Jerusalem, with everyone carrying a passport. They are checked and released.We approach the soldiers. They say nylon wrapped permits are confiscated. The DCO representative explains: “even if he had an unwrapped permit I would have considered whether or not to let him pass, because he carries olive oil, it is not a humanitarian act of distributing food during a closure but merely a person trying to sell his oil”.We try to remind them it is no crime, but are told these are regulations.16:20Half an hour later we call Avi Biton again. He doesn’t answer. We try calling Eldad Shozef, BP Battalion commander (we get his driver) and Rafi Amsalem of Ezion DCO (no answer).16:30A private car is not allowed to go to Bethlehem. The driver stops far from us, approaches the soldiers again and then goes and sits in the car. 16:45 Another private van prevented from going to Bethlehem and stops to wait far from the checkpoint. V. goes away to eat after we promise to let him know if there’s a change of shift in the checkpoint.17:15End of fast. No cars on the Jerusalem lane. Many cars on the Bethlehem lane. The soldiers let the cars go one by one, very slowly. Almost the entire line is orange taxis, the soldiers don’t check them but don’t signal them to pass either. The shift didn’t change by the time we went away.17:35 Az-Za’ayyem checkpointTraffic is flowing without disturbance