Abu Dis / Lazarus gate (formerly The Wicket), Container (Wadi Nar)
Abu-Dis, Wadi-Nar 5/2/2004 Watchers: Sima S., Sari S., Nurit S. (reporting) We arrived at Abu-Dis at about 3pm. The area of the wall is totallydeserted with the shops closed and hardly anybody walking around. We droveup the muddy road to the hotel and looked at the progress of the wallbuilding. The area is eerily quiet and desolate. Then we drove up to the Pishpash gate, where there were a lot of transits crowded around and some trafficof people (not many) crossing over the lower wall.We then drove to Wadi-Nar (the container) through Maale Adumim and Kidar. Upon our arrival we met a group of three ecumenical accompaniers who told usthat they have just come to live in Sawahre, and that they would takecheckpoint watching on as one of their projects. We gave them Hanna Barag’sphone number and suggested they schedule with her and do the checkpointwatching in coordination with us. We also gave them some phone numbers theycan call for help.There were a few detainees now and again but they were released withinreasonable time, and it was evident that the soldiers were just doing theirjob and not looking to make anybody miserable just for the sake of it. Theywere polite with us (the soldiers) and answered all our questions. Noprivate cars with out permits were allowed through, and many were turnedback. In fact, the only private car we saw pass was a Red Crescent carwith a sign on it saying: “Pharmacuticals”. We noticed that the checkpointwas freshly painted (white and green) and the beduin soldier we hadmet before came to say good bye to us because he is finishing his armyservice.We left at about 5:30.
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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