Abu Dis, Container (Wadi Nar), Sheikh Saed, Wed 23.6.10, Afternoon
2:30 till 5:30 PM
An extremely windy day just after a heat wave – all the accumulated garbage next to the bins in Jebel Mukabr is blowing all over the place.
Sheikh Saed
Empty. We continued amidst flying rubbish towards Silwan to ‘inspect’ the Kings’ Gardens and the spic and span parts inhabited by settlers. There is a lot of digging going on. We saw no Border Police presence across from the City of David, after again having called Mahmoud Kara’in in vain.
We crossed over to the Mount of Olives where the tourist track along the churches is kept spick and span – on the second terrace under the Intercontinental Hotel we had a good view of the extension of the Moskovitz settlement (Ma’aleh Zeitim) and the emptied Police Headquarters.The huge Israeli flag on top of the mountain was close by and very provocative.
Across from the Mokassed Hospital we again noted the garbage flying in the wind.
We let a number of cars through coming from El Azzariya at the Maaleh Adumim roundabout, but then were hooted along by impatient settlers from Kedar.
In Kedar construction is going on apace as if there were no freeze.
At the Wadi Nar CP was hardly any traffic and no car was held up. Two soldiers with drawn rifles came up to us to ask what we were doing, but as soon as we said “MachsomWatch” they said: “Be our guests” and turned away.
On the way back the queue at the Maaleh Adumim roundabout was endless – we again let the incredulous drivers pass in front of us and noted the new signs on the other side of the road (in English and Arabic only) one to announce that the road narrows and the other with a warning “Prepare to stop”.
In Sheikh Jarrah under the fig tree were no Internationals, just a woman with some children and an elderly man (her father?). There was no police presence. We were told of the upcoming Poetry evening right in front of the house and the hope was expressed that the police would not spoil the event.
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.
Avital CFeb-27-2026Jerusalem, Damascus Gate: Crowd rushing to prayer
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