Abu-Dis, Al EzariyaSunday PM, 12.2.06Observers: Ilana H. and Hagit S. (reporting)14:45 A large metal gate shuts off the security road descending from Cliff Hotel, along the entire length of the wall. The Palestinian driver of the vehicle in front of us got out and opened the gate at the nod of a sleepy border policeman sitting at the entrance to the hotel courtyard. It appears that there is some sort of permit for the residents of the small Palestinian neighbourhood (at the foot of the security road, just south of “Kidmat Zion”) to travel on the road leading to their homes – we did not check this out. We crossed through the gate in the wake of the car in front of us before the driver stopped to shut it. On our way back we opened the gate outselves to drive through. From the sercuity road we saw surveyors busy measuring in the area near the first building of “Kidmat Zion”, and more building (expansion?) going on in the courtyard of this building. At the crossroads of the security road and the blocked road to Sawahre east westward a security tower makes its appearance, and next to it a locked and barred mobile home (“caravan”).15:00-16:00 Near the Pishpash: Two military policemen and a recently recruited soldier (a Russian immigrant, sent from his army Hebrew Ulpan for a kind of boot camp at Jerusalem checkpoints for a few days): part of the socializing process of young recruits into the master nation. The young man is clueless but tries to demonstrate his participation by occasionally stoppint someone and sending them for a check of documents. Jerusalem students studying in Abu-Dis await the return of their documents. They cross daily in both directions, and are checked daily. The military police record name, address, destination, ID of each and every one of them. As they do for women, children, the adult and the elderly crossing into “the country” or leaving it. All had blue IDs or permits. Without detentions, the line nevertheless lengthened. Unfortunately, our attempt to intervene made matters worse, only prompting the military policemen to perform their tasks more meticulously, checking the IDs on the computerized terminal – “This is our job – how will it be known that we perform it properly unless we record and check” the policemen tell us good-humouredly. Eli Gabai backs them up and says that if God forbid there should be an attack there will be records to enable the investigation those who enter. And forged IDs or interlopers without documents can be caught… he continues, as usual, telling us how much he tries to ease matters for the population crossing under his surveillance, etc. etc. All this while the monastery gate is open and people pass in both directions without checks and records.On our way from A-Tur to Ma’ale Edumim we noticed workmen leaving the transit vehicle and making their way uphill towards the new checkpoint being built (the Zeitim crossing). We entered the place and found close to 20 workment standing next to the jeep under Sh.’s command, waiting for their IDs to be checked on the terminal. None had permits (“how can we acquire them? they’re not given”). After a few minutes, their IDs were returned. According to the workmen this procedure is repeated daily, sometimes shorter, and sometimes longer duration.On the Ezariya road, before the entry to the Kedar road, traffic is heavy and slow, with considerable presence of police. We are told that there was “an event” and the traffic was cut off for a certain period of time. What the event was we did not find out. We did not travel on to the Container.