Abu-Dis, Sheikh Saed Friday, 28.07.2006, AMObservers: Magdalena H., Tirza L.,Visitor: Marcy L.Sheikh Saed: 09:10 – The crossing policy is not clear. The border policemen say there is no crossing in either direction at the check-point. Most of the people are prohibited although some have blue IDs. Some are allowed to cross – see below.The soldiers behave with excessive rudenss; people are not allowed to come up to the checkpoint to show their documents and be checked. Instead, the soldiers shout at them to go back 5-10 metres and from there (both men and women) must tell their destination, what documents, etc. The soldiers enter Sheikh Saed, near the grocery shop and banish those standing in the area of the shop – 15 women, children, adult persons – who are not doing anything. The soldiers tell them to “get out of my sight” and if they don’t move, the soldiers approach and force them to leave.Men and boys have to raise their shirts 10-15 metres from the checkpoint, and turn 360 degrees in view of the soldiers to show they carry no arms.3 children, boys around 10 years old, arrive from the direction of Jabel Mukaber, wishing to cross. The soldiers shout at them to turn back and return to where they came from.A man of 50-60, wearing elegant traditional clothing, arrives in a vehicle from the direction of Jabel Mukaber. The soldiers shout at the driver not to stand on the road at the point where arrivals descend but to continue a few metres further. The elegantly dressed man reaches the checkpoint, wishes to cross – there is a large order of bread for the wedding awaiting immediately beyond the checkpoint. The soldiers don’t let him cross, and he has to turn back.Three 5-8 year old girls arrive from Jabel Mukaber, wishing to get to the grocery shop immediately beyond the CP. The soldiers forbid it. They wait quietly on the side near us, talking amongst themselves. A woman wishes to cross from Sheikh Saed to Jabel Mukaber, and is refused. A man, a woman and the baby in her arms are allowed to cross to Jabel Mukaber, as are 5 others who followed them.A family including a man, a woman and three small children wish to cross from Sheikh Saed to Jabel Kukaber. The soldiers shout rudely for them to turn back, they shout at the man to lift his shirt and turn around, and then shout rudely: “go, go home, yalla go.”A soldier gestures to the girls who have been waiting on the side to cross to the grocery shop. They are delighted. Five minutes later they cross back carrying chocolate milk and candy.A woman arrives from the direction of Jabel Mukaber accompanied by a soldier. She was caught further down after circumventing the CP. The soldiers take her back to the CP, to Sheikh Saed, and tell her to go back. They don’t detain her or take her documents, while the soldier remarks “how I like those who come from below.” On the Jabel Mukaber side a car stops near the CP (on the road, not the approach to the CP), a soldier approaches the driver, asks something then shouts “go wait for your brother on the side.”A youth of 16-18 arrives from the direction of Sheikh Saed. After the procedure with the shirt he reaches the soldiers at the CP, shows a green ID. They take it and start shouting “go, go, go back.” He stands there, explaining something. They keep the ID and expel him from the CP. A minute later two of them call him back and return the ID.An old man with a cane, walking with difficulty, arrives from the direction of Sheikh Saed. Shows a document. He is sent away roughly – go, go away, no crossing.Three elderly women (50-60) cross to Jabel Mukaber, the soldiers talking to them loudly. They pass us and wait for the bus on the side where there is some shade. After a few minutes a soldier from the CP comes down and yells at them to “go, go, don’t wait here, go”. So far we have kept our interventions to a minimum because they don’t help, only exacerbate, but we can no longer contain outselves and call to the soldier “why should it bother you that they’re waiting here” and he replies “sorry, sorry, can I help you? You’re getting in my way, go away, move aside.”We call the company commander, A., to report on the excessive rudeness of the soldiers. He replies: “Sweetheart, you catch me with yesterday’s wounded” (the incident reported on the media of a Palestinian in Sawahre who shot at and wounded two border policement who shot back and killed him). We explain the situation and he replies that they are not acting rudely but with an eye to security after yesterday’s event, and that he cannot deal with this now. We insist, and he says “OK, OK, I’ll tell them.” Two police cars arrive, one blue the other border-police. The commander, P., and a number of police officers descend and enter Sheikh Saed. They stand in the area of the grocery shop for c. 20 minutes, observing, getting explanations. When they come out we approach the commander about the behaviour of the soldiers (which has subsided somewhat since our arrival and the arrival of the officers) and he tells us “to speak with the officer of the CP.” And indeed, a young officer, M., arrives, and we telling him of what has been going on at the location. He says he will take care of the matter, and seems to mean it.Abu-Dis, the Pishpash: 10:50 – Considerable presence of soldiers along the road. A total of some 7 soldiers in a number of places along the road, stopping some of the vehicles. At the Pishpash – empty, no one waiting to cross.11:00 Zeitim CP: 11:00 – Some three vehicles waiting, very few people. While we are there two families who have crossed the CP emerge.On the way back to Jerusalem, massive presence of soldiers along the East Jerusalem roads, starting from Abu-Dis. Some are blocked to East Jerusalemites (we can cross); some are blocked to all.