ABU DIS AND SAWAHRE WEDNESDAY, 28/07/04, AMObservers: Sylvia P. and Ofra K. (reporting)Sho’afat Refugee Camp, 6:45 am.The road is narrow and two low concrete barriers make each lane even more narrow.On the side heading towards Jerusalem is a long queue of vehicles; the end of the queue is nowhere in sight. The traffic moves slowly, but constantly. Many pedestrians are walking on the side of the road. The checkpoint itself is narrow; beside it is an empty lot, and the Border policeman commanding it is not courteous to us. At the end of the checkpoint are many transit vehicles taking passengers to Jerusalem.On the way to our second station, Wadi Nar – we see a “mobile” checkpoint; a military jeep with soldiers who are randomly checking vehicles and pedestrians.Wadi-Nar, 7:20New things have appeared at Wadi Nar – on the road and square which were covered in asphalt is a new concrete guardpost with a vertical opening. Beside it low concrete barriers were placed to form an organized passageway for pedestrians. The path is between two lanes, like a queue for the cinema…. A similar path has been constructed for pedestrians going in the opposite direction. In the center, the barriers have been placed to possibly act as stations to check those passing in the future.The Border policemen here are neither friendly or hostile. They ask us to keep our distance. The whole square is now the area of the checkpoint and we must be outside this area. These are the orders. The line of cars traveling northwards moves slowly. One large truck is being emptied of its cargo and the contents examined. This process takes about 20 minutes.By the side of the checkpoint are 10 detainees. In about 15 minutes they all receive their papers and continue on their way. At the end of the checkpoint, as usual, are the transit vehicles waiting patiently for their detained passengers. As usual, in each vehicle are women and older people on their way to receive medical treatment. At about 8:00 am.the Ecumenics arrive, S. the Norwegian and his friend. They have no news about the destruction of the houses.The “Pishpash gate” in Abu Dis, approximately 8:30 am.The station of “shame”, as I call it. Today there is no checkpoint with soldiers or policemen. Still the same familiar picture of crowds of people, men, women and children, clambering over the mound of boulders and a narrow fence by the Separation Wall. Again, the sight is shocking to see – shameful and humiliating.Under a makeshift shelter are sitting a few men, acquaintances of ours. Among them is a transit driver, just released from a prison sentence of 4 months for taking a man hit by his car to hospital. He didn’t have a residency permit at the time.During our conversation we hear bitter complaints about G., a Border police commander. His rough behavior towards those passing, the harsh way he chased away a woman with her 5 week old baby and forbid her to pass, and his general violent and abusive way of relating to those passing the checkpoint. Another subject they spoke about was their suspicions of unholy contacts (bribery?) between the authority and the bus company (taking travelers to J-m) taking work away from the transit drivers. Also, the bus passengers were not being checked like the transit vehicle passengers.These people want only quiet, a livelihood and peace, not politics.