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Abu Dis, Container (Wadi Nar), Tue 30.6.09, Afternoon

Place: Abu Dis / Lazarus gate (formerly The Wicket) Container (Wadi Nar)
Tags: Slow passage
Observers: Julia W., Rahel W. (reporting)
Jun-30-2009
| Afternoon

 

It was an oppressively hot afternoon. Azariah was unusually crowded for a hot day. We continued on to Wadi Nar and were shocked to see a line up of traffic heading south that extended well back into the village. We could not ever remember such a back up.?

We walked over to the checkpoint, greeted the border police who were manning the place, and asked why the backup.  One of them said that one of the Palestinian drivers had hit a woman and they had tried unsuccessfully to apprehend him. They said that that had occurred just five minutes before and were surprised that we didn't notice it. We said that we were too busy trying to estimate the number of cars waiting to get through the checkpoint (a backup which had occurred much more than 5 minutes ago!). However, we did notice that from the moment they spotted us, traffic started moving and after about 20 minutes, it was moving at a normal pace. While we have often questioned how valuable our presence is at this particular checkpoint, we must note that whenever we get there, traffic starts to move the way it should.

In speaking to the soldiers, we mentioned that there had been some talk about closing down Wadi Nar because it really served no purpose other than to hamper travel between two totally Palestinian areas. They strongly disagreed saying that, even if every other checkpoint in the country was removed, this one would remain "because it keeps the Palestinians from smuggling in weapons to attack Jerusalem".

 

On our way out, we noticed a new spurt of building at Qedar. We counted at least 10 new houses that have been recently erected and there were bulldozers in the fields near by clearing more land — apparently for additional building. Unfortunately, we did not have a camera with us, but we will bring one next time around.

 

So much for "the settlement freeze"!!

  • Abu Dis / Lazarus gate (formerly The Wicket)

    See all reports for this place

    •  

      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)

       

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