Wadi-Nar, Mishor Adumim, Abu-Dis Tuesday morning, 9 March 2004 Watchers: Michaela R. (reporting), Jehudit S., Channah A., Yael L-V. Wadi-Nar [Sawahre], 6:45 AM : Upon our arrival, we found relatively short queues in both directions, but waiting. One transit [passenger van-taxi] stopped and IDs being checked. One member of the Ecumenical service [human rights observers] standing by. After we arrived, the queues got moving, most of the cars allowed through without being checked. Quick and quiet passage. Checkpoint between Al-Azariya and Ma’ale Adumim, 7:10 AM:When we arrived, we found 12 yellow transits and taxis waiting, their drivers collecting the passengers’ IDs and passing these to the Border Policemen for checking. Nobody bothered to compare whether the people matched the ID documents. One BP in a jeep was writing down the names on a list. Some taxis were not checked at all. Mishor Adumim, 8:10 AM:42 Palestinian cars waiting, headed for Jerusalem. Israelis allowed to pass through. We parked in front of the jeep. Here stood some pal. cars. The drivers were waiting on getting back their papers. After our arrival, the Border Policemen start working, waving for them to approach one at a time, shouting at the passengers. Channah was softening them up until even the worst one was smiling. Suddenly (8:45), after most of the Israelis cars had passed through, all the Palestinian cars — mainly yellow taxis — started driving on. The checkpoint was cleared and discontinued. The Pishpash Gate, Abu-Dis:Upon our arrival: 3 Border Policemen sitting in their jeep and munching on Bamba (a packaged snack food) while shouting through a megaphone. No one was allowed to cross through the Pishpash [roadside pedestrian passageway], which serves here as an unofficial “checkpoint”. When we approached, Sara, the woman soldier, left the jeep, went to the opening in the wall and commenced checking people’s IDs. She did not let in even humanitarian cases (medical care cases); babies, old people, people holding permits for passage – only those with blue [Israeli] IDs. Michaela of MachsomWatch contacted Safady, who said he’ll check the question whether there is a closure in effect or not. Channah heard from the jeep that the closure continues. Sara, the soldier, said that she permits passage according to her decision, and we might check with the commander, Yehuda Masri. There was no answer from the commander. Meanwhile, there was a big crowd around the Pishpash Gate; one soldier prepared a stun grenade. The Moked Center for the Defense of the Individual phoned Michaela at 11:10 AM, informing her that they themselves do not know yet if there is a closure in effect or not.