Abu DisSunday PM 5-2-06Observers: Ruth O. and Ilana D. (reporting)Abu Dis, Cliff Hotel, PishPash, Olive Passage, Mishor Adumim, El-Azzariya, Wadi Nar. From 2:00 till 6:30 PM.We hadn’t been to Abu Dis for some time and Ruth brought a camera. There was no army presence all the way up to the hotel where we were not allowed to take pictures of the soldier in the newly esthetically added caravan in front of the hotel which now has ONLY broken windows. A metal fence, which allows entry to the road along the wall and the Kidmat Zion settlement, can be opened and closed by whoever wants to pass. A young boy was playing football at the bottom of the wall which reminded us of the rosy picture one of the commanders had painted us two years ago when he said that kids would use it to play squash from both sides. Near the construction of an access road within the temporary enclosure across the gas station a ‘guardian of the wall’ told us that no one was allowed to enter or exit. Avi, the BP commander, explained to us what it is all about. We were not allowed to park anywhere near the Pishpash until Avi arrived with his jeep and let us stay for a couple of minutes. Only people in possession of valid documents were allowed to cross. We spotted some runners in the courtyard of the monastery and parked later in another monastery just next door where the fence had been open, but then closed in on us – we were let out graciously.Via A-Tur and the Olive Passage we continued and saw no army all the way to Mishor Adumim and then via Hizme to Adam. The ingenious way the wall is going up near the Hizme CP (allowing the place which sells building material to remain inside Israel) is a site in itself. Along the settlers’ road we saw many election posters of ‘Orange NOW’. Back and up to Al Ezariya where a real parking area has been created and the beginning of a market, but there was no CP at this time. We took the road of the transits via the Al Kuds University in Abu Dis and found a rolling CP about 200 yards before the container with three detainees. Initially the soldiers were hostile, but then released two of the detainees and told us that the third had had no papers and (as a resident of the territories) was driving a car with yellow number plates. He had been allowed to call home to have his documents brought there and then they would have to arrest him if it turns out that he indeed has a green ID. While we stood there no other car was stopped. A long line of thirty cars was waiting to be checked in the direction of Bethlehem. We didn’t talk to any of the soldiers, but as we approached the papers of the passengers of the one parked yellow cab were returned and the cars started moving with hardly any checking. All drivers greeted us friendly as they passed and one thanked us profusely for standing there. Within ten minutes the last car had passed. Workers bypassed the turnstiles and walked without any inspection. We returned via the new Kedar Highway.