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Abu Dis, Container (Wadi Nar), Ras Abu Sbitan (Olive Terminal), Thu 21.1.10, Morning

Place: Abu Dis / Lazarus gate (formerly The Wicket) Container (Wadi Nar) Ras Abu Sbitan (Olive Terminal)
Observers: Ora K., Michaelia R. (reporting)
Jan-21-2010
| Morning

7:00 Zeitim Terminal

Two lanes are open for adult crossing, lines are short and crossing is relatively quick.
The problems are in the third lane, intended for "easy" crossing of children.  Dozens of children crowd the turnstile which opens between long pauses, allowing only one child through each time.  As we saw later, a female soldier who could not bother to perform her task properly is in charge.
 
The magnometer sounded again and again when I entered.  Scrupulous checks revealed that my shoes had broken into song.  I removed them and crossed barefoot — not fun on a wintry day.  A. is forbidden to cross at the magnometer.  She was ordered to move aside.  It was a long time before two soldiers, male and female, came up to her and asked several questions.  Meanwhile the crossing of Palestinians slowed down.  A guard arrives and disconnects the magnometer.  One shudders to think what befalls a person without Hebrew in a
similar situation.

8:00  Wadi Nar

A detainee waits in the shelter in the Bethlehem direction.  He will still be sitting there when we leave.

In a hidden corner, between the cliff and the path leading to the pillbox, there is a pile of many license plates, Israeli and Palestinian.  The security forces did not like our interest in the pile, and agreed to say only that the plates were taken from a stolen vehicle.

  • 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.

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