Abu DisWednesday PM, 21.9.05Observers: Tami B., Laura S., Daniela G. (reporting)Abu Dis DCO, 13:00We only had to approach the turnstile and it immediately opened. No Palestinians at the widows, some four in the shed, three of them waiting to be called to the magnetic cards window and the fourth for his friend who came out of the offices of the DCO with a smile, accompanied by a soldier who shook his hand when they parted at the gate. We went up to one of the windows and asked if E., the new commander, would come out to us. Two minutes and he did. We complemented him on the attitude of the soldiers, on their Arabic, etc., and he, in return, was quite surprised and disturbed to hear that that was in no way the case in Ezion DCO, for example. We talked at length, about the new procedure of applying for permits through the Palestinian DCO, we suggested we put up a notice as to the measures those denied by the police or the GSS should take even though he claimed it was explained to them, we also proposed he either take down the sign saying “cold water” or, preferably, install a cooler under it. He was extremely nice and cooperative, not only to us but to Palestinians whom he offered to help with their requests.The container, 14:15Very little traffic, lots of soldiers, checking is random and very fast. The MP soldiers answer our greetings but the BP commander of the shift shouts at us to leave the premises of the CP. We plead heat and the need of some shade but to no avail. He is aggressively adamant. We comply and from the opposite side see 3 young men who are made to wait in the heat before the turnstiles for some long minutes while 4 soldiers are sitting there doing nothing. The MP soldier girl to whom we try to talk about it is called back by the BP guy and reprimanded for communicating with us. Now and again, some young people taken off buses are detained till their papers are checked, but generally for no longer than a few minutes. A bus arriving from Bethlehem goes through the same routine but the people taken off (including two young women) are made to wait in the sun for longer. It is very hot and more so probably inside the full bus waiting for them. There is nothing we can do, no one to talk to. Till, lo and behold, there’s E. from the DCO again! He is surprised to see us, we happy to see him. He takes care of the bus and it leaves, he eagerly comes over, promises to discuss the attitude of the soldiers at this CP with his colleagues and superiors, gives us his phone number to call him whenever, and suggests next time we ask for the representative of the DCO who is always there.Abu Dis. 15:30No soldiers at the Pishpash. “Bin Laden” says they now usually come only in the mornings and evenings. People know already that only blue ID holders can cross over to the Jerusalem side, he says. Down the road there is an absolutely new gate. It leads straight into the heart of Al-Ezariya. According to the private security men stationed next to it, it was opened for the construction work in Al-Ezariya. “The wall?” “No”, they say, “just construction”… People pass freely through the gate, unheeded by two BP-men sitting on the stones, busy feasting on sunflower seeds with two more private security men. There is a BP jeep at the Cliff hotel and the soldier politely advises us against driving the new road all the way to Jerusalem, claiming it was a security road for the use of security forces only at this point.