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Abu Dis, Container (Wadi Nar), Ras Abu Sbitan (Olive Terminal), Sheikh Saed, Wed 10.6.09, Morning

Place: Abu Dis / Lazarus gate (formerly The Wicket) Container (Wadi Nar) Ras Abu Sbitan (Olive Terminal) Sheikh Sa'ed
Observers: Netanya G., Shira V. (reportiing)
Jun-10-2009
| Morning

6:50 Zeitim Crossing

 
An extremely long line — dozens waiting outside the checkpoint's outer turnstile.  We asked around, and those who had crossed reported angrily about waiting between 2 – 2 1/2 hours, an unconscionable  length of time.  According to their reports, three corridors were open (we did not enter, not wanting to impede crossing), and every so often shouting was heard on the loudspeaker system.  After about an hour (the time we spent there), the line grew shorter, as did the time of crossing.

 
People arrived from all over — Kalandia, Bethlehem, and the El-Azaria area.  When we inquired about the reasons for the usual crush, some attributed it to the "big mess" in Kalandia due to the changing of the guard at the checkpoint there.  An inside inquiry with our parallel shift in Kalandia revealed something else: they said there was no "mess" and that it was a relatively "easy day".  Since we had heard from several people that the congestion was due to the changing of the guard, we think that the difference between the reports we heard and those of our shift there was due to the fact that in recent days (not just today), personnel changes at various checkpoints across the area had caused people to avoid crossing at Kalandia, and search for other points to cross.

 
For future attention: follow up the situation at the Zeitim Crossing in the mornings, to find out if the unusual congestion repeats itself. And also, try to get an "overview" of the situation at the three terminals in the mornings, by getting in touch with our other shifts.

 
8:20  Sheikh Saed

 
While still at the Zeitim Crossing we received reports from the residents that there is a new officer who refuses to let the children cross, and requires them to show documents.

 
When we arrived, the checkpoint was empty; just then a child without documents tried to cross and the commander sent him back.  In the background cries were heard on the loudspeakers ordering this or that vehicle to remove itself from the sterile area of the checkpoint — something unusual, I thought,  for what I know of this checkpoint.  Meanwhile, some youths at the improvised transportation point inside the neighbourhood (not far from the checkpoint) told us that since the morning, the soldiers have been playing "cat and mouse" with them; each time they bring some provisional sofa to sit on in the waiting area, they are forced to send it back.  We saw such a performance with our own eyes: the youths brought the sofa and the soldiers immediately ordered it moved back.  We spoke with the Civil Administration (there's a new officer) and told them what we had seen.

 
We tried talking to the officer, A., who said he was not new, and got the routine answers about security considerations and the sterile area which prevents the youths from "spying on the checkpoint."  Likewise with respect to the children — without a document he does not let them cross. While talking, we were able to observe an entirely different situation in which the officer was required to exercise judgement about letting someone cross, and we were impressed with his decision.  It will be interesting to track his management of the checkpoint in the coming days if he is still there.

 
While talking to the youths, one of them drove us to the only (very poor) road connecting the neightbourhood to the world.

 
9:00  Wadi Nar

 
The checkpoint was fairly empty.  There were random and fairly frequent checks of transits which were speedily released.

 
On the way, between the new Kidron and the Na"hal settlement, on the northern part of the road, we saw the construction of a new route parallel to the road.  We informed the Peace Now team.  We saw a work-caravan and some other improvised installation.  We were unable to find out the meaning of this development.

  • Abu Dis / Lazarus gate (formerly The Wicket)

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    •  

      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)

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    •  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)

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    • 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

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    • 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.

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