Abu Dis, Container (Wadi Nar), Ras Abu Sbitan (Olive Terminal), Thu 24.7.08, Afternoon
Zeitim Checkpoint
We first drove to theZeitim checkpoint . Ariving about 15:00, we found the checkpoint almost empty. It was very hot and almost stormy. Two men were sitting on the ground, dozing in the shadow. One elegantly dressed man (suit in the heat!) was walking around, perhaps waiting for somebody.
Two women passed the checkpoint in 4 minutes.
Arrival at 15:00. Still hot and very dusty. Traffic is slow. One taxidriver was calling me for help immediatly. He said, that he was waiting here 2 hours. He had one passenger in his car. Their ID,s had been taken.
I was moving our "hot line" via Ronit and Channah. After another 10 minutes they could leave.
But 4 young men had been detained. They stood beind the budke in the heat without shadow or water. The father of one of them called me – in English – for help. He said that he was waiting for his son for two hours. His son would be innocent. I was again activating our "hot line". They told me that because of this case the "Minhal ezrachi" was on his way. We should wait for them. So we did. On Avitals suggestion I bought waterbottles, took them to the soldiers, asking if I could give them to the detainees. One of them was friendly and was bringing the bottles to the detainees.
We could not wait for a longer time, because we had also Bethlehem on our schedule. We left about 16:20, driving by Abu Dis, El Azariha. We found again a long queue of cars standing , coming from Ramallah and waiting for a passage.
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.
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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)
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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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