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, Abu Dis, Sheikh Saed, Thu 19.11.09, Morning

Place: Abu Dis / Lazarus gate (formerly The Wicket) Sheikh Sa'ed
Observers: Shosh H,, Michaela R. (reporting)
Nov-19-2009
| Morning


6:45 Sheikh Saed


 

Very few people, no delays.

 

6:50 Sawaharra (west)

Many children await transportation in the area in front of the checkpoint.  A few minutes after seven o'clock the area is empty.


 
Families living on the east side park their cars west of the checkpoint, to save the time of travel through the checkpoints.

Our arrival was greeted with contemptuous roars of laughter from the guards who came to replace the shift.  They arrived in civilian vehicles, by the road along the fence, from the direction of Sheikh Saed.


 
The checkpoint commander, a border-policeman, spoke to us courteously. We crossed east through the checking hut.  Inside the gloom of neglected and grey places prevails. Doors and gates open and shut without evidence of human agency — not recommended for the claustrophobic.  The roars of laughter outside can still be heard.

7:50 The Pishpash


 
A border-police jeep arrived before 8 and opened the gate.  Small children were assisted by parents and kindergarten teachers to climb the high steps. One of the policemen asked a workman smoothing the earth on the western side, to help the children.

 
Paving and building work in the area continues.  It appears to be connected to the road which will run parallel to the wall.

  • 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.

  • Sheikh Sa'ed

    See all reports for this place

    • 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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