Back to reports search page

Abu Dis, Container (Wadi Nar), Ras Abu Sbitan (Olive Terminal), Sheikh Saed, Wed 14.5.08, Morning

Observers: Anat T., Yael Y., Shira W. (reporting)
May-14-2008
| Morning

Sheikh Saed – 07:00

There are about ten men waiting at the openning of the fenced passage way. The men go through one by one, and the whole process takes time (it seems that the BP man wrote by hand the detailed information about each one of them). After about a quarter of an hour they all went through.

 
Women and children did not wait in line and entered the fenced passage way immediately.
People waiting at the checkpoint told us that because of the closure the workers did not even go out to work. Those who went through were mainly people with blue IDs, and special cases, like a man who had an orange ID and works in the church. He did not know if they will let him through, but he did not have any problem.

 
One of the civil guards told us that soon the checkpoint will be openned for vehicle traffic, after the appeal to the supreme court.

 
A flying checkpoint on the American road – 07:35.

There was a BP Jeep on the road, and a few Palestinians were standing by it. The impression was that the BP men were about to leave the place (and we heard their commander say so in the wireless). The commander approached us. He is the substitude of Adi as the commander of the area.

 
Sawaharra El-Sharkiye 07:45

A few people went through the checkpont, going to the Palestinian side. The soldiers ther explained to us that in any case, since this checkpoint is only for listed people, the closure has no meaning there, and passage is as usual.

 
Zeitim passage 08:30

We entered the checkpoint. There was a thin traffic of people, but only one sleeve was open, and so people had to wait in front of the sleeve. Our impression was that the checkups were through. The commander of the checkpoint, Y., approached us, took us out, and gave us a lesson.

 
Wadi Naar 09:25

There were four vans detained. Accoding to the passengers, they had been waiting for half an hour (the vans were released within twenty minutes since we arrived).

 
One private car was detained, and parts of the luggage compartement were out, as one soldier was telling the driver what to pull out. It is a rare thing that we have not seen for a long time in this checkpoint. According to the commander of the checkpoint there are "hot allerts". As a result the front hood of the car was raised, and the engine was throughly checked.
As a rule the traffic went through while the vans were detained and released withing a few minutes, and private cars were detained for more through checkups. 
  • 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.

      ירושלים, שער שכם: קהל ממהר לתפילה
      Avital C
      Feb-27-2026
      Jerusalem, Damascus Gate: Crowd rushing to prayer
Donate