Abu-DisMonday, 8.5.2006, PMObservers: Judy A., Noa A.Y. (reporting)Abu-Dis: 15:00 – Thin flow of traffic. A jeep and military policemen at the lower (closed) crossing. Construction at its height. A short two-lane road from somewhere to somewhere. 2 workers, Israeli Arabs. One of them says: “Palestinians here – Israel here.” The other thinks the wall is a good thing, “otherwise they’ll be exploding on us all the time.” A guard wants to know what our business is, and please not to film. We replied that we have permission, and his complaints ended there and then. Halfway up the hill, another jeep with soldiers, and more soldiers at The Pishpash. Almost everyone crossing is warned that there is no way back except through the Zeitim CP. Another jeep in the monastery yard. Each time a few soldiers looking for infiltrators.We try to find out about the situation with the closure. They don’t really know. “I think it’s on, but anyway no one crosses here, not even the elderly… an old woman who jumps over the wall and then comes as though miserable…” What about the gate that’s supposed to open behind the hotel and the settlements? He has no idea. It’s not in his sector, he never heard of this place… beyond the beyond. A fellow who was one of the drivers near The Pishpash chats with us. The situation there (beyond the wall) is very bad. The Authority doesn’t pay and there are no work permits. People without medication, impending famine.Zeitim CP – Drivers we know from the Pishpash await clients. In the morning there are buses. At this hour there’s a bus every hour. A boy in a plaster cast wishes to cross. The female soldier shouts through the loudspeaker that only with parents. He goes back. A family arrives, father with infant in his arms, mother with a slightly older child in her arms. We see the scar of a burn on the baby’s head, the head half shaved. From the fenced cubicle in front of the checkpoint, after the first carousel: “???” she shouts, “the mother too.” He says they have to reach a doctor with the baby. “Pass” – and they cross to the next carousel for checking documents. After a short while they cross. We have no access to try and help them. There is no one in the area we can talk to. When they come out it appears that hot water spilled on the baby’s head. He was in Soroka for three months; also something in his brain is not right. Now he’s on his way for another treatment. The baby, around 1 year old, cries from time to time. The mother doesn’t want to pay for a car (40 shekels to Beit Hanina), and they take the bus which arrives just them.The Container – Just as we arrive, a military vehicle with some 8 military policement turns up, enters the parking lot of the house under construction, the soldiers descend and stand in a line. The commander observes the field and the hill opposite. They march in a line back to the road, and return to the vehicle, proceeding to the checkpoint. Workmen cross quickly after the carousel is opened. Some 20 vehicles from each side. A transit is detained to check documents, then released. Suddenly the group’s commander announces something like “Run, they’re firing.” A few run, bent over, guns ready, towards the concrete and aim at the houses east of the checkpoint. More shouts of “you’re under fire” – and we understood that this is just a drill. Meanwhile, no vehicle crosses. Traffic resumes after a few minutes, with much honking and nerves, while we stand and watch.