Abu Dis, Container Wednesday PM, 17.11.04Observers: YR, AF, TF (reporting)14:40–17:3014:40 Bawabe-pishpash gateNear the sealed bawabe only 2 taxis are waiting. In the beginning of the ascent to the monastery there’s a BP jeep, a police checkpoint and a soldier asking for IDs. Those coming from the other side, getting inside Abu-dis, are checked by 2 soldiers standing at the iron gate of the monastery. The soldier says they’re standing there 24 hours. The traffic is very sparse, and there are no arguments; only blue IDs pass. What about medical cases? “not even those”, says the soldier. “They have to go by Az-Za’ayyem. They know”.15:00 Cliff HotelNo one is seen near the hotel. The ground is still dug up. The pedestrians passage behind the hotel has been blocked with coiled wire.15:15 Az-Za’ayyem checkpointA long line of cars waiting to pass. In the round circle on the way to Kedar and Abu Dis there’s a police car standing. It is still there 2 hours later when we return. 15:25 ContainerVery sparse traffic. No detainees in sight. The soldiers, including 2 female soldiers, are all inside their shed. 20 minutes later there’s a change of shift. The checkpoint is completely blocked. A few minutes later, when there’s a line on both directions, the driver who brought the new shift lets everyone pass southwards with a single jest. (He says: “I’ve been 6 years in a Ar-Ram, I learned to know them, they’re people as well, who want to come home from work”).The shift in starting. Commercial vans and taxis pass, sometimes men are taken off taxis, especially going south. The IDs are checked and the passengers are requested to go on on foot or find a new taxi. Private cars aren’t supposed to pass, but sometimes they do for no apparent reason. 16:00A private car going to Jerusalem is stopped and sent to the side. The driver tries to convince the soldier that he just wants to go home. The soldier takes his ID and tells him he’ll get it back after reversing and coming back again. When we approach the driver, a soldier yells at us not to speak to him and not to stand in the area of the checkpoint. When we insist he approaches us with another soldier and yells: “This is my checkpoint, you mustn’t talk with my detainees. My commander (Battalion commander Eldad) spoke with your organization, don’t pretend you don’t know you can’t stand here”.Is he detained? we ask. “You will not tell me who’s detained and who isn’t” the soldier continues nervously, “and I want you to give me your details”. Why? we ask. Eventually he gives up.After sending us away, they start sending away the driver. He is forced, with obvious intention of violence should he refuse, to enter his car and go back.16:20The pedestrians, previously passing without standing in line, just by showing an ID, are stuck now in front of the carousels, passing one by one at the soldier’s orders.A large van carrying carpets stops. Despite appearance it is not commercial. The soldier tells him he can’t pass. It parks on the side. There are several passengers inside, including 2 children. A man gets out and goes to the checkpoint to inquire. The soldier grabs his ID and tells him, too, to go back and return later for it.The man parks near the grocery store. The carpets are taken down and 2 men remain to guard them. The van with the rest of the passengers goes away.16:33The man in the private car returns. He speaks on the phone with the center of individual protection, and asks them to explain to us in Hebrew what is the problem with him. His name is R., and he wants to go back home to Jericho. He has a permit for a truck only, not for a private car. The people at the center promise to try and help.In the meantime another private car passes without problems. 16:45R. approaches again the checkpoint, and becomes a detainee. There’s another pedestrian with him and 2 more join them shortly afterwards.16:57The detainees are released. R. tries once more. The jests of the soldiers indicate their refusal. He despairs and goes away.17:10A children’s bus. A soldier goes aboard. There is no one to ask IDs from except a few women. They show him their IDs and the bus goes on. On the other side a private car is sent back south.