Abu-Dis, Ras El-amud, Wadi Nar (Container) Thursday PM, 6.10.05 Observers: Ruth O. and Ilana D. (reporting) From 3:00 till 6:30 PMRamadan…….. It was extremely crowded around the walls of the Old City and all the shops were open. In Abu Dis near the wall towards the Cliff Hotel and beyond, on the road to Kidmat Zion, all looked quiet. Two Border Policemen monitored the entry of Palestinians through the opening at the bottom of the wall (diagonally across from the gas station). Because of the closure only humanitarian cases and people in possession of blue Ids were allowed to pass, after the numbers of their Ids had been meticulously written down. We passed through the opening and noted that on the road at the bottom of the hill once again transits were letting out passengers on their way to West Jerusalem and the beginning of a market is developing on the dusty lot. On the top of the road, those without permits could pass unhampered via the old pishpash (‘bawabe’). The taxi drivers told us that occasionally the BP-men move from down the road to there and then return, but that altogether, possibly because of the Ramadan things have been quiet the last few days, since the soldiers have been replaced.They then told us of their troubles with the blue police and produced stacks of unpaid tickets. One driver showed us that he had been fined 500 Sh. because his colleague’s car had been parked illegally. When he showed the policewoman (M.) that his car was somewhere else, she only shrugged. Another driver had been fined 250 Sh. for not having his seatbelt on. He had witnesses, so he went to Court where the judge, aware of the amount of tickets he had accumulated, added another 130 Sh. to the original fine. The real culprit apparently is M. from Abu Gosh, the Commander of the Shalem Station on Salah Adin Street. He had been removed from his job, since he was filmed taking bribes, according to the drivers, but is back after a year’s absence. He and his colleague Sh. are real sadists and only out to make the cab drivers’ lives miserable. They hardly make 100 Sh. a day, but one of them received two fines of 500 Sh. on one day. He does not intend to pay them. Of course his license is only valid, if he pays the fines. In addition there is the competition between the bus- and taxi drivers who fight in the morning over every passenger. We were told that at around 4:45 PM before prayers during Ramadan the police close off the road at the traffic circle in Ras El Amud to transits and cabs. We couldn’t believe it until we actually heard a high-ranking police officer (M.?) issue orders to block the road and only to let buses through and no other vehicles whatsoever. When we wanted to verify this with two BP-men they refused to answer our question, but when we wanted to pass, all oncoming traffic was stopped (there was a large police force on the spot) to let us through.We drove through Al-Ezariya to Abu Dis and found a flying CP near the turn-off to the University. Two men were held up, half an hour before the end of the fast and had to have their papers checked. In the Container two cabs had been held up, but were released when we arrived. There was no pedestrian queue. A man asked for help to pass with his newly bought mini-bus. He had come from Jenin and passed all the CPs on the way without hindrance and now was not allowed to continue. When we approached the Commander of the CP, he pointed out that the car had no number plates. The man promptly produced Israeli number plates, but he had a green Id and was on his way to Bethlehem. In addition (according to the document) he had bought the car for 990 Sh., which seems rather cheap. So unfortunately instead of helping him we indirectly caused his arrest.