Abu Dis Friday morning, 30.1.2004 Watchers: Michal Z., Rita M., Barbara S., Osi M. (reporting), and a guest Summary: After the bomb in Jerusalem’s Gaza St. yesterday (Thursday, 29.1) there was a “closure” in effect for Bethlehem [no entrance or exit allowed – the bomber had come from Bethlehem]. Sawarhe Checkpoint (“The Container,” Wadi Naar) was closed, and hundreds of people who wanted to go home or visit for the upcoming major Moslem holiday [Id al-Adha, the Holiday of the Sacrifice, this coming Sunday-Wednesday, Feb.1-4] weren’t allowed to go through. In effect, almost everybody went around the CP by climbing down the hill to the wadi (canyon) below. We didn’t see whether there were soldiers down there, but it seems that people managed to go forward.In Abu Dis:The streets were quite empty on both sides of the Wall [the 8m-high concrete-slab barrier dividing Israel from the Territories, under construction]. People went through the pishpash gate [roadside pedestrian passageway]. We’ve seen IDF soldiers on the west side of the wall. Going around the wall next to the Hotel is still possible. More details: We arrived at Abu Dis around 9:30 from the Mount of Olives. Next to the wall we saw workers digging a trench to reroute a major water main from the eastern to the western side of the Wall. There was a Border Police jeep and almost no people in the street. No soldiers at the pishpash gate, where people were going through. Many taxis and buses were waiting for passengers on the western side. We’ve been told that yesterday (Thursday) after the bombing in the morning, there were soldiers there who didn’t let anyone pass. People were climbing the wall in other places along the street as well.A taxi driver we know told us that he’d been caught 4 times driving passengers who didn’t have transit permits. He’s had his trial and was sentenced to 5 months in jail, which he’ll start serving soon.We also talked to a British woman and an American woman, both married to Palestinians, who live on a small street that goes out of the main road to the pishpash gate. They tell us they’re worried that the new wall will be built in front of their street and block it. They’re in the middle of a trial and are being aided by their respective consuls.We went to the eastern side next to the hotel and took a taxi to Sawahre (“The Container”) CP. The driver said that the CP is closed and that many are waiting hours next to it. He said that earlier in the morning that was a BP jeep thatclosed the entrance to the CP area and didn’t let even those who live in the area (like the driver himself) to go through. Sawahre Checkpoint:Indeed we saw about 200 people waiting along the road or next to it, trucks and vehicles were parked in front of the CP. Many had large bags or suitcases, and it seems that many were going home or traveling for the holiday. While we were there, people started climbing down the hill towards the wadi in order to avoid waiting at the CP, and within 30 min there was almost no one left. It seems that the soldiers let them pass. The people waiting had arrived from different places in the north (Ramallah, Qalqiliya, Jenin and also nearby Al-Azariya) and wanted to get to Bethlehem or Al-Khalil (Hebron). Several were seen climbing from the wadi and in the direction of Abu-Dis.The soldiers at the CP said those are the orders, and that they are doing what they can [to be lenient]. Indeed they let two men pass, and later an old woman. One ambulance was allowed to pass as well, although another one wasn’t and was made to turn back toward Bethlehem). The soldiers told us that there’s a jeep stationed in the wadi between this CP and the next one (belongs to the Palestinian police) in Ubadiya, and that many soldiers are positioned on the surrounding hills. Avi Biton [the BP company’s commanding officer] answered the phone politely and told us that those are the orders, that he’s aware of the problems and that there’s nothing he can do. Only people with medical problems are allowed through.We also phoned the the IDF Humanitarian Center hotline, and were told that those are the security requirements. Our mentioning the civilian needs of people who want to get to their homes for the holiday, didn’t help. We got a similar reply from the spokeswoman of the DCO [IDF’s Civilian Administration].We also met Shlomi Ben-Harush, who serves under Avi Biton and is the deputy commander of the Sawahre CP (meaning that he has overall responsibility for the CP’s operation, not the commander currently on duty). He tried to help and phoned the Brigade Commander and tried to get permission for people who’re going to their homes. He got a negative reply.