Abu Dis, Wadi Nar (Container) Thurs. July 21, 05 PMObservers: Gili K., Nurit S. (reporting)guests: A Czech photographer and a Journalist from SwitzerlandAbu Dis was very quiet with no people at all near the Cliff Hotel andthe Gas Station. At the pishpash we noticed that there were soldiersrather than BP and they were sitting under a tree inside the monastarygarden. They were all wearing these sun hats that seemed strange tous. We asked them about it and they said that they are not allowed totalk to us.Wadi Nar (Container)- We drove to Wadi Nar through the settlers’ road. There was a huge traffic jam with cars lined up all the way up the hill. Wecounted well over 50 cars waiting. Here too we saw soldiers in thosesun hats. These were willing to talk to us and told us that they arereservists called in to replace the BP who are now busy with theevacuation of the settlers in Gaza. We asked them about the build upof waiting cars and they said that this is the first day that theclosure is over and that they were given instructions to check everyvehicle and person. There are “hot warnings”. We noticed that indeedthe pedestrians were also being checked and had to wait in long lines. We got the impression that these soldiers were not very experienced,but were doing their best to deal with the pressure. We noticed nomalice in their treatment of the Palestinians. The road that has recently been opened to Palestinians (the oldsettlers’ road now unnecessary for the settlers because they have anew, better one) was closed and cars coming from that road were turnedback. When we asked why this road was closed we were told that theroad is meant to be used only in one direction–from Bethlehem toAl Ezariya and not in the opposite direction. Apparently the Palestinianshave been using it in both directions and now the road is totallyclosed as punishment. People were angry and complained to us about the long wait, but wefelt that there was little we could do as we could see that thesoldiers were doing their best to pass the cars as quickly as theycould. We drove back through Sawahre, to show it to our guests and then wedrove to Qalandiya, also for the benifit of our guests (and Gili, whohad never been there). It was late and there was not much happeningthere.We tried to get back from Qalandiya through Dir Naballa and discoveredthat the connection to Givat Ze’ev is blocked up. This was the day of the closing ceremony of the Maccabia and thewhole old city and Road no. 1 were closed. It took me almost twohours to get home from the Rd. 1 because the traffic was held up. Itried various routes and found that the road around the old city wasalso closed.