Abu Dis, Container (Wadi Nar), Sheikh Saed, Wed 9.7.08, Morning - machsomwatch
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Abu Dis, Container (Wadi Nar), Sheikh Saed, Wed 9.7.08, Morning

Tags: Detainees
Observers: Anat T., Shira V. (reporting)
Jul-09-2008
| Morning

According to the commander, the purpose of the works performed at Wadi Nar is to construct 5  motor lanes (2 in each direction and one, "humanitarian", in the middle).  Possibly also canopies for the soldiers.  Crossing installations for pedestrians will be abolished, but passage of the few pedestrains, he says, will be allowed.

6:50 Sheikh Saad

The checkpoint was fairly empty.  The few crossing did not have to wait.

7:40 Wadi Nar


When we arrived we found a number of transits detained.  The disembarked passengers of one of the vehicles claimed they had been waiting at least half an hour.  A military policeman named S. came up and shouted at them to get back on the vehicle.  When we tried to intervene, he shouted at us too, asked for Anat's name and phoned "to complain about her." (Anat simultaneously called A. to inquire about this behaviour).  The soldier claimed that the passengers were trying to hide behind the transit.

 
In addition, traffic at the checkpoint was busy, and transits were frequently stopped, then released within a few minutes.  Infrastructure works (see above) including bulldozers and heavy construction vehicles were busy full steam.

 
The DCO representative (a young man we had not met) came up to us, called us aside and tried to inquire about our activities at the checkpoint.  A short and rather interesting conversation developed, in a pleasant atmosphere.
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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)

       

  • 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.

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