Abu Dis, Container (Wadi Nar), Ras Abu Sbitan (Olive Terminal), Wed 1.9.10, Afternoon
15:45 – 18:00
We drove from Abu Tor down to the Ben Hinom valley and from there via the American road to the Ras El Amud settlement that is constantly growing.
The renovations of the Police building across the street are also proceeding and the entire building is surrounded by scaffolds.
We continued to the infamous Pishpash. The enormous gate that goes all the way up the wall has been painted yellow and at its bottom is a very small closed door (also the same color), for the children who have to pass here on their way to the kindergarten in the neighboring convent.
Another large gate has been put up between the wall and the Convent. This gate, that stood open when we came, shuts up the entire width of the street. We asked one of the workers nearby if the Kindergarten still operates and he said that since the holidays have not ended yet (Ramadan) there is no passing of children now but he thinks after the holidays the children will return to the usual routine.
The construction of the road along the wall has been ended and we drove on it along the residential homes, back to the main street climbing up in the direction of A-Tur.
The Olive Terminal
Empty and only a few optimistic Abu Dis cab drivers were sitting under the wall's shade in wait for customers.
On the way to Wadi Nar we saw the intensive growth of the new buildings at the entrance to Kedar. On all those lots that were prepared during the past few months houses are being built, some have already red brick roofs, what a "freeze"!
At the Container CP the soldiers refused to let us watch from where we did before, next to the stairs coming down from the army post, and we had to stay at the crossing. The traffic moved fast. The cars coming from the south from the west bank were not checked at all and those coming from Abu Dis and Azaria were checked randomly. In both directions we saw some cars bearing Israeli plates passing. The soldiers were slumped on the bench by the barrier on the way south. We tried to ask them something but they just shouted to us not to get close and refused to leave their position. May be they also fast these days and are very tired?
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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