Abu Dis, Container (Wadi Nar), Ras Abu Sbitan (Olive Terminal), Sheikh Saed, Thu 17.4.08, Morning - machsomwatch
Back to reports search page

Abu Dis, Container (Wadi Nar), Ras Abu Sbitan (Olive Terminal), Sheikh Saed, Thu 17.4.08, Morning

Observers: Yael Y., Yehudit S. (photographing), Michaela R. (reporting)
Apr-17-2008
| Morning

 

06:30 Sheikh Saed

The view of the fences, the barbed wire, and the blockage is shocking us again. The huge monitary investment that aims at tearing the neighborhood inhabitants off create a painful and imaginary exsistenc. More than anything there is a traffic light erect on the road, its red eye chronically showing, and it prohibits movement on the road that is blocked anyhow by a yellow arm, White arrows show the road to vehicles who are prevented from driving on this undrivable road. The zebra crossing painted white is leading directely into a rocky wall…
 

In contrast to the huge investment of money in the traffic arrangements in a place where traffic is forbidden, clearing the garbage away is not high in the hirarchy. The inhabitants who can not use those road signs if they are unlucky and their ID is not painted blue, are prevented from getting to the garbage container. The garbage bags are thrown from the hilltop beyond the fences.

 
The pedestrians go through the checkpoint: every man and woman stretch their body in order to be able to drop their documents through a slit high up in the checkpoint shed. Small children go through today without any interuption. The bigger ones show documents, but their bags are not being checked.

 

07:40 Olive Checkpoint


People go out one by one, most of them hold their belts in their hands.
From the inside we hear loud and impatient voices in Hebrew. A few minutes later a man emerges and tell us that he and his twenty years old son are on their way to Mukassad hospital. The son has platinum implants in his body,and they don't let him go thorugh without a proper permit. The two have permits from Jericho DCO and many other appropriate documents. A specialist, a proffesor,comes to Mukassad today for a short time, and the father worries that he will not be in time in the hospital, bring a document, return to the checkpoint, and drive back to the hospital. Even without it they had a long way, and crossed three checkpoints: at the exit from Jericho, in Almog junction, and Mishor Adumim. We called E. who turned us to an officer (K), and another wait, and two phonecalls, and the young man finally emerges after 15-20 minutes from the carousel.

 
We drove to Mishor Adumim. We arrived after eight o'clock, and saw no checkpoint. On the way we were wellcome by colorful signs: "Mevasseret Adumim".The arrows sent us to the area E1, towards a hilltop where there is a new police station. We drove on a new three lane road, and we saw a tourist view point towards the wonderful view. We were the only living souls in the area. In some places one can see preparations for new buildings.

 
08:50 Wadi Naar

From far away we saw at least 5 taxis detained. The checkpoint is blocked – there is no movement. Many men are crowding around a soldier who gives documents back. The line of cars gets to the bottom of the valley towards Beit Lehem. Another line, shorter, from Sawahara. According to one of the passengers, they had been waiting about an hour.

 
Immediately after our arrival the traffic starts moving without any checkup. Hundreds (!) of vehicles. Despite the big traffic, only one line of checkup was operating. Within twenty minutes the line disappeared. Later on the traffic went through, mostly without being checked. The detainning time was short. Documents were returned within less than ten minutes.
  • Abu Dis / Lazarus gate (formerly The Wicket)

    See all reports for this place
    •  

      Abu Dis / Lazarus Checkpoint/Gate (east of the former “wicket”)

      Construction of the wall in the Abu Dis area blocked all the gaps that allowed people to cross from al-Ezariya to the neighbourhoods of Abu Dis and Ras al 'Amud that are located within Jerusalem’s municipal boundary. The Lazarus checkpoint is a gate in the wall adjacent to the Lazarus Monastery. Until 2011 it had a door for pilgrims to al-Ezariya and for the monastery’s kindergarten pupils from al-Ezariya. The crossing is currently closed, but the site has infrastructure for conducting inspections.

  • Container (Wadi Nar)

    See all reports for this place
    •  Wadi Nar Checkpoint ("Container", "The Kiosk") - a barrier for vehicles in Area B that is regularly manned - east of Abu Dis between Sawahra A Sharqiya and Bethlehem and its daughters. Controls Palestinian movement between the north and south West-Bank. Includes driving routes, access roads, spikes, traffic lights and signs. There is no pedestrian crossing. Open 24 hours a day with random checks enhanced on security alerts. The checkpoint is in Palestinian territory, allowing for separation between the north and the south Palestinian areas when necessary.

      In 2015, the leading road from Azaria to Bethlehem was renovated, as well as the steep and narrow ascent to the Wadi Nar checkpoint, which was dangerously travelled in both directions! The temporary checkpoint was renovated and expanded, and pedestrian traffic was banned. From 2016, traffic travelling from the south bank to Azaria was directed to a one-way road near the Southern Keydar Jewish settlement.

      Machsomwatch shifts visit this far-fetched checkpoint only occasionally.

      (updated to July 2019)

       

  • Ras Abu Sbitan (Olive Terminal)

    See all reports for this place
    • A large checkpoint/crossing to the area of a-Tur, Abu Dis and the Old City; only for pedestrians. Located on Jerusalem’s municipal boundary.

      One of the major crossings in Jerusalem’s central sector. It is located on the separation fence between the northern portion of the al-Ezariya neighborhood and the neighborhood of a-Tur and the rest of East Jerusalem. It is manned by Border Police soldiers and private security companies and operates 24 hours a day. Palestinians are forbidden to go through, other than permanent residents of East Jerusalem (holders of blue ID cards) and holders of work and commercial permits who are allowed through only on foot.

  • Sheikh Sa'ed

    See all reports for this place
    • A checkpoint limited to pedestrians, located on Jerusalem’s municipal boundary.

      The checkpoint sits on the separation fence at the entrance to Sheikh Sa’ad, dividing it from its neighbourhood of Jabel Mukkabar. It’s manned by Border Police soldiers and private security companies and operates 24 hours a day. Palestinians are forbidden to go through, other than residents of Jabel Mukkabar or Sheikh Sa'ad who have permits. Both groups are permitted through only on foot. Residents of East Jerusalem who don’t live in Jabel Mukkabar are also allowed to cross to Sheikh Sa’ad, but not in the opposite direction; they must return through the Sawahira ash Sharqiya checkpoint.

      Jerusalem, Damascus Gate: Return from prayer
      Apr-17-2008
      Jerusalem, Damascus Gate: Return from prayer
Donate