Abu Dis, Kidmat Zion, Pishpash, Az-Za’ayyem, Mishor Adumim, Al-Ezariya Sunday, September 19, 2004 amObservers: Judy S., Malka A. and Ilana D. (reporting)During our shift we came across a phenomenon, which we had been unaware of until now. When drivers of the territories are fined they are forced to leave their vehicle license and insurance with the policeman and can only retrieve these documents from the police station in Ras Al Amoud when they show proof of having paid the fine. When there is a curfew they cannot retrieve the documents and are thus unable to use their cars and make a living. Is this procedure legal?6:30 Jericho Road was empty, as was the area around the gas station and around the Cliff Hotel. We parked near its entrance and two sleepy BP-men came out to try to chase us away, but we remained only for a couple of minutes, because there was nothing to do for us. We went to inspect Kidmat Zion where the building of the Succa has started, the new paved road around it has not yet been completed. Even there we could hear the megaphone of the BP-jeep near the pishpash gate (Bawahbe) and when we approached the Pishpash we were stunned to see the area empty. Not one transit in the vicinity and only one bus was allowed to approach (according to the drivers he had paid a bribe). The BP-man in the jeep kept shouting at whatever approaching vehicle to keep the area clear. On top and in front of the concrete slabs of the Pishpash were two BP-man letting only schoolchildren, teachers and doctors through. There was a strict closure according to them, the passage is not legal and whoever has a blue Id can proceed into Jerusalem only via Az-Za’ayyem. No permits are valid for persons with Id’s from the territories. They said their group is now in charge Az-Za’ayyem too and will only allow Palestinians with blue Id’s into the city. Each vehicle is inspected scrupulously and there is a huge line according to them just before the tunnel.On the East side of the wall huge crowd of hundreds of angry people was growing by the minute and the schoolchildren had trouble trying to push their way through. None of the people waiting to pass, all in possession of blue Id’s or permits was willing to budge. The soldiers appeared threatened and the crowd was growing and getting angrier by the minute. We feared tear gas or possibly even shooting into the crowd and tried to call all the numbers on our list without success and only managed to leave a message to Safadi expressing our concern. We called Ofra and explained the situation and it was not clear whether she was able to do something. A man motioned to us through an opening in the wall and explained that he had been fined, with confiscation of his car papers, on September 4th. He showed us the receipt stating that he had paid on September 5th and since then he has been trying daily in vain to reach Ras Al Amoud to retrieve his documents. He was told to call the Moked to find out whether he had any chance to enter during the closure and how. Meanwhile the battery of my cell phone was getting low. The tension grew and the crowd became even denser and was reaching a boiling point. The soldiers kept shouting and were extremely nervous. All of a sudden Gily and another BP-man appeared. They crossed over the wall and spoke to the crowd, which dispersed. When asked what he had said, he replied: “I told them that I love them.” But he looked very pleased with himself and we left feeling that our presence might have prevented him from using harsher methods for dispersal.At the passage of Az-Za’ayyem all vehicles with yellow number plates passed unchecked, there was no line and there were no detainees. Cars with Palestinian number plates do not even approach the CP. At Mishor Adumim we counted 37 vehicles waiting, but it turned out they were all told to return to where they had come from.8:15 AM The worst scenario possible we encountered at the exit of Al Ezariya near Ma’ale Adumim. Thousands of pedestrians and hundreds of cars were held up there and the cacophony of hooting greeted us from afar. It took us about half an hour to pull to the curb and find a spot to park, every inch was clogged up. Since 5:30 in the morning the misery and torture had been going on. It was getting hotter, there was hardly any shade and of course no toilet facilities whatsoever. Because of the closure only humanitarian cases had been allowed through, but there was no way for those cases to even get close to the CP.Desperate drivers approached us and blamed us for not doing anything. We wondered about the settlers from Kedar, but of course their own new road is now in use and they were not affected at all. Many, many students on their way to university and parents with children on their way to school in Ramalla were unable to even turn back. They were told that unlike usually the CP would not be abandoned at 9:00 AM and the people became furious.We asked the BP-man about the logic of letting drivers from Hebron etc. pass through Wadi Nar in order to stop them afterwards, but he said they were only in charge of this particular CP and there were serious warnings of imminent terrorist attacks. Then, as a Deus ex Machina, R. A. appeared and initially tried to allow only cars with yellow number plates to pass in order to free the passage to oncoming traffic. But the amount of trucks and cars was so overwhelming that he just gave in and everybody passed without any checking or inspection. By the time we managed to creep onward, the queue was still till the roundabout with the sign to Kedar. We proceeded to find out what happened on the other side of the Pishpash and droveup for the first time from the East. All people with blue Id’s climbed freely in both directions, but those from the West Bank with permits were still waiting for the BP-jeep to leave. They could not believe us when we told them that all cars can now freely leave from Al Ezariya. We had no time to continue to Wadi Nar but saw that the horrendous CP at the exit from Al Ezariya had disappeared completely.