Abu Dis, Container (Wadi Nar), Sheikh Saed, Tue 10.3.09, Morning
07:00 Sheikh Saed
Overflowing garbage tips and garbage on the road, all the way down the hill to the checkpoint. It seems there has been no garbage collection for several days.
Before reaching the checkpoint we were stopped by a couple of acquaintances from Sheikh Sa'ed who told us that an old woman from Jabel Mukhaber had passed away in the night, and that family members from Sheikh Sa'ed wished to come to the funeral a few hundred meters away from their home, but they were refused permission to cross (Palestinian ID's, closure).
We made contact between the family representative and the officer T. from the Jerusalem Envelope DCO at Zeitim Crossing, who asked him for a list of next of kin only (i.e. no nephews, etc.). We passed the matter on to Hanna B"rg, asking her to try with higher echelons. After many phone calls, Hanna succeeded at the eleventh hour to arrange permits for the rest of the family to reach the funeral which took place at 11 a.m.
08:30 Zeitim Crossing
We tried to reach her by office phone and cell-phone but there was no reply. We turned to Yael Shalem, who spoke to Aryeh, the new spokesman of the administration, who tried for an hour to find a way to bend the rules to let these poor girls cross. After about an hour and a half we got his negative reply. We informed the trainees, and suggested they make another date for their training, as well as to make doubly sure that no Jewish holidays or closures are planned for that day.
And we submitted a protest to Aryeh about the administration's issue of permits without bothering to inform the recipients about expected holidays or closures (year after year) for those dates when it's unlikely that their permits would be of any use.
09:30 Wadi Nar
The road was beautiful, and we were glad that Ronit B., who returns to Berlin this afternoon, could enjoy the sun and desert views in this pristine air. Traffic at the Wadi Nar checkpoint was flowing, but again we had to confront the commander who had not heard of the agreement reached (with the company commander, A., and the representative of the crossing points, A.), according to which we are permitted to stand behind the "yield" sign, next to the taxis parked for checking of documents.
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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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.
Tamar FleishmanMay-27-2025Beit Hanina: The gazing crow
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