Abu-Dis, the Container 17/4/2004 . Watchers: Victoria B., Hava H., Angela G. (reporting), two guests: Sylvia, a journalist from Italy, and Rebecca from US We arrived 7.30 a.m. at the Pishpash gate, where a BP Jeep sat, alongside the plastic and metal Police barriers (a mini Qalandiya), with 30 people waiting to be allowed through. Children weren’t checked, but women and even Jerusalem IDs were entered into the computer, making for slow but calm progress. Green ID holders with permits and humanitarian cases were allowed through. The monastery garden was empty.A quiet Container at 8.15 a.m. Many taxis below the CP not allowed up the hill; quite a few trucks went through (garbage, food, those with permits), ambulances, vehicles carrying drugs, but no private cars and almost no pedestrians. 15 detainees were herded in after a jeep had been up the road, and sent back to Area B on the other side of the CP, if not still Area C, according to the B’Tselem map! (Area A seems nearer Bethlehem, presumably where DCO control takes over from BP on the distant hill…) A group of teachers from Hebron wanted to go to teach at Al Quds, including a teacher of medicine who also works in a hospital in Hebron; he gave us his mobile phone number so we called when he was turned back to the other side of the CP. They were told full closure, no way. BPs were unsociable, but nowhere near as problematic, rude and games-playing as the week before. We saw no evidence of violent behaviour, nor any particular problems with which to deal.In the evening I received a call from a truck driver who had my number from earlier: he’d been allowed through each way a few times that day and now at 6 p.m. they wouldn’t allow him home to Einabus (near Huwwara); a BP had started to hit him twice on the head with his baton, so he’d run away. What could he do? He gave me his phone number. I called DCL Bethlehem/Ezion and BP Container HQ, both of whom told me to tell him to go near the CP and then call again when he was there. I mentioned the report of beatings, to which DCL said this was impossible, so I asked why a doctor had had to treat a beaten woman near an ambulance a few days ago… Unfortunately, when I called the truck driver to relay instructions, his phone was switched off (???) I tried all evening to call him, including phoning a friend in Einabus to get a message to the family. I spoke to someone living near the Container, who said there were no trucks there. He said drivers sometimes exaggerate….Yesterday (Monday 19.4) I guided a group of 12 Americans (Global Exchange) to the Container to show them a CP “in action” (rather, inaction…). We watched for a while at the CP (about 11.30 mid-day): a large group of 12 BPs, two jeeps and top brass – at a distance one saw “felafelim”. We watched as four BPs stayed up at the village end of the road, then we walked along the crowded road (everyone was openly using the mountain to bypass the CP) to see if they were harassing people. The group talked with people who’d swarmed up the hillside, until the four BPs came towards us on their way back to the CP. The three men we were talking with stayed where they were, not particularly hidden by us. As they passed, registering the group as tourists, nevertheless a Russian BP (the only one with his name tag on) picked out all three from the group and he and another hassled us for “hiding them” and pretended not to believe that we hadn’t hidden the men – one man was even outside the group. An “exchange of subjective truths” ensued, me with mine, the BP with his, me sticking to my version, he with his cynicism, etc. I pointed out the nametag on the Russian BP, when asking for his name, at which aforesaid Russian accused me of attacking him. He maintained, with a big smirk on his face, that he had three witnesses to the physical attack! I name dropped RA, one of his seniors, and he fast dropped the bravado and lies. We left with empty threats ringing in our ears. It would appear our heroes do not wish the world to watch them while they safeguard our security. Were we were spoiling their fun? Should they not be grateful to Americans who come to see how their US tax money is being spent, whose government is so supportive? Why weren’t they more ahalan wa’sahalan, hospitable or welcoming, one wonders?