Sheikh Saed, Abu-Dis, Zeitim CPMonday, 16.10.‏2006, AM Observers: Edna P., Anat T. (observers)Sheikh Saed: 06:45 – The whole area is “decorated” with barriers of barbed wire. Also around the checkpoint and on the sides of a narrow path on the way down the hill, a path “one-by-one”. And if a child falls? A grownup stumbles? Or clothes get caught? All this, without a doubt intensifies the feeling of prison for the inhabitants of Sheikh Saed. At the checkpoint there is a woman soldier and a soldier and in the booth another soldier who is absorbed the whole time that he is there with games on his cell phone.We go up the hill and meet a few youngsters from Sheikh Saed. One of them says that he has a valid permit but the soldier in the checkpoint does not let him cross. We approach the soldier and he doesn’t know what we are talking about. Now the version changes on the top of the hill: the youngsters spit on the soldier, therefore they do not want to approach him. Meanwhile we see a few things: a hovering helicopter over the path of the fence from the Abu-Dis ridge to Sheikh Saed: a detainee handcuffed with plastic handcuffs next to the booth. After an inquiry we discover that the detainee, who looks like a laborer, cut the fence and then ran away from the soldiers. Edna remembered what the Chief Medical Officer said about the illegal use of the tight plastic handcuffs – the boy is suffering from them, we can see. We ask if it is possible to remove the handcuffs. It is hard to believe that he will try to escape now. And then Y. arrives, the Border Police Commander, a soft-spoken man who we had already met. He takes the handcuffs off and puts him in the booth. It turns out that it was him who chased the youth after he crossed the fence. And despite this, the atmosphere that Y. creates is humane and reasonable. Good for him for not being burnt out in these difficult situations! By the way, next to the checkpoint is a stinking pile of garbage left over from the meals of the soldiers. A real environmental danger. No answer to our question why it is not removed.Sawahre: 07:30 – From above the helicopter follows our trip to the Sawahre checkpoint. Here also barriers of barbed wire decorate the working environment of the checkpoint. The village is closed and sealed on the ridge. 3 soldiers in a shift. The instructions: crossing only with permits or with blue identity cards. 2 older women, over 50, cross, one doesn’t. It is not clear why, but we do not interfere. The way to the road leading to Jerusalem is long, and we meet all those who crossed during the time we were at the checkpoint, on their way to the road that goes to Jerusalem.Abu-Dis: 08:00 – The opening in the “decorated wall” is finally closed. In the upper opening (Pishpash) no one comes or goes: the routine of the wall.Zeitim CP: 08:00 – There are angry dozens who wait outside of the turnstile at the entrance to the checkpoint area. People call us and tell us that from 06:00 in the morning, when the checkpoint opens, there are long delays. Children, women, and people with permits. Including doctors and other needed occupations, all of them waited at least an hour and a half until they crossed. And also now there are dozens in the queue, screaming on the loudspeaker, there is no humanitarian line, and in the faces the eyes look tired. Why? Why? They send everyone here, from Sheikh Saed until Anata, so why is this crossing not manned and why does it not work properly? Elisha is not reachable, Yamit from the Border Police bureau of the Jerusalem wraparound gives us the telephone of the officer for the Jerusalem area (of the police, who is responsible for the checkpoint), and from there we are passed to the spokeswoman: Ilanit 02-5391114. We complain to her and she promised to pass it on and give us their answers. The answers do not arrive, but suddenly there is a humanitarian queue, the light in the turnstiles at the entrance change to green – and things begin moving. We asked Ilanit to thoroughly check out the situation, since we were in similar situations in the last two weeks, and also before that. The answers did not arrive, but we decided to talk to Elisha seriously, maybe he can have an influence, and we will also follow through with the answer of the spokeswoman.