Abu Dis, Sawahre Wednesday PM, 23.3.05.Observers: Tami B., Laura S., Daniela G. (reporting). Cliff Hotel – 15:30: The place is deserted, as usual, but for a BP jeep in the yard. We drove on again alongside the separating wall, which is far from finished, and were told that it leads eventually to Sawahre but not to the Container CP.The former Pishpash gate – 15:45: Mid way up the hill, a few soldiers are watching Palestinians climbing back and forth. In front of the monastery there are as yet no soldiers and people are going both ways freely. A group of men, huddled on the sidewalk, greet us with “Where were you this morning?” It seems that a taxi driver, driving a girl with no ID, was severely beaten up by some soldiers. Eventually the driver had to be taken to the hospital suffering from a head injury. The people were eager to give us various phone numbers and details but all we could do was to make sure the commander was aware of the incident and hope he would take it from there.Crossing the monastery yard, we went to the new CP down the road, on the Al Ezariya side. It is now a permanent one. The soldiers were far from cooperative, but we managed to learn that the sole detainee there, was apprehended because he carried no means of identification and could not even cite his ID number. The soldiers were waiting for someone who spoke Arabic to come and further interrogate him. We could do nothing for him. When we got back to the Pishpash gate, there were BP soldiers there too. They claimed they knew nothing of the morning incident. Upon being questioned as to the purpose of having two CPs 200 meters apart, they answered that we knew as well as they that the Palestinians have many ways of circumventing both CPs. People up the road, on the outskirts of Beit Fadji, had (supposedly?) not heard of any beating up of a driver though it had happened under their nose. We were told that driving through the village could get us on an unpaved road to Az Za’ayyem.Sawahre (the Container) – 17:00: Traffic was scarce in both directions and passage smooth. No detainees either. Before we managed to get out of the car, the DCO representative (not our old acquaintance) hurried towards us. He was extremely friendly and very keen on talking to us. He claimed his main purpose at the CP was to assist the Palestinians, and while we were there he certainly demonstrated it. In two separate cases he intervened and saw to the fast release of men held up by the soldiers.