Abu Dis Sun.18.9.05 p.m.Observers: Ayala S and Ivonne M (reporting) When we arrived we were told by some residents of Abu Dis that thismorning a soldier called Sh. had thrown the contents of a big wasterecipient (the black ones) at the entrance to the small hole used by theresidents to cross from one side of the Wall to the other near the gasstation. We went to check and there was the waste and the filth and thebad smell greeting everyone who crossed from one side of the Wall to theother.We saw that the small side-roads leading from the main road that is stillleft in Abu Dis going to Ras El Amud and other directions have been closedby rocks or dirt mounds (near the Comunita Passionista). Now that the Wallis almost finished, what is the purpose of these barriers in the part ofAbu Dis that has remained in the “Jerusalem” side? Do we know? Have weasked recently and whom?At 16:50 we began our observation in front of this hole that is used ascrossing place and where the Border Police wait for people tocross either in or out. They check every man, woman and child and when wearrive there are 7 men that have been detained there for a long time. Oneman coming from work in East Jerusalem and wanting to go home is kept forover 2 hours while the police write a report and make him sign that he wasnot physical assaulted. People react very angrily to this action of thesoldiers.The officer A. G. appears and asks whether we know the name of thesoldier who turned the waste recipient in front of the hole. We tell himthe name, although we also tell him we have no faith that the culprit willbe punished in any way, rather we believe he will help him prepare analibi. He says he is offended by our thought that he will not act and thenhe lets us know he has some assumption about who told us the name of thesoldier. About 15 minutes later, we see him harassing the people who toldus. So much for our “faith” in his good will.Around 5:30 a young man using the uniform of the gas station approaches thehole and starts taking pictures with a good camera. The soldiers detainhim and take his blue ID away. We tell the soldiers that the man has theright to take pictures of the wall. Only after the soldier hears us callingand asking for the phone number of the spokesperson of the Border Policedoes he let him go, not before letting us know he thinks we are disturbed.I hear this same soldier who is sitting down, shout to one of the detainedmen to come. I turn around and to my surprise all he wants is to use thePalestinian’s cigarette to light his own. But there was no question of thesoldier getting up, he shouted to the detainee to come and light hiscigarette. The lord of the land.