Abu-Dis, Zeitim Passage, ContainerFriday AM, 10.3.06Observers and reporters: Michal Z., Vivian, ClaireAfter the oppressive desolation last Friday, this time there’s life and movement in Abu-Dis. Almost no military police in sight. Relatively numerous Palestinians pass unobstructed. Conversations with residents and persons touring and reporting in the area.Pishpash:Conversation with a person holding a Palestinian ID. He lives in Abu Dis, his wife is from Jerusalem, with a blue ID, as are their children. He studied in Jerusalem and considered it his homeland. In the first Intifada he served time in jail for throwing stones. That, he believes, is the reason he is not permitted to visit Jerusalem, and his appeals for family reunion have so far proved futile. He appealed a number of times, with the help of an attorney and the Civil Rights Organisation, but he emphasizes that he is not interested in the Blue ID, only that he needs his city. Right now he’s expecting his wife and children on their way from Jerusalem. Someone is making a movie about them. Suddenly cameramen appear, accompanying a young woman and two small children. H’ulud, an activist familiar from the days of the students’ union, is there too, participating in the making of the film.The “new gate”:A few continue to pass through the field of mud. We see a woman climbing the wall, spreading newspaper to keep from getting dirty. A child carries 4 heavy sacks (first moving 2 sacks some 10 metres forward, then going back for the remaining 2).We continue what we started last week: trying to understand the logic of building a wall between the houses of the neighbourhood. We meet another woman, from the Internationals organization. The house in which they reside and which also houses their office, will find itself on the wrong side of the wall, and they are planning to move to another house in order to stay mobile. She showed us how the foundations, already laid in the ground between the houses, separate more or less between homes of Palestinian ID holders and holders of blue ID’s, but actually the distinction is hard to make, it’s not clear who owns which card, and not a few are mixed couples. According to her, the wall being built is intended to be a continuation of the high 9-metre wall. We muddle around, a kilo of mud stuck to each shoe, trying to understand the perverse mind planning the route of the wall.Zeitim Passage:A taxi takes us from the east side of the Pishpash to the Terminal. The place is empty. Alona, the commander, has time for us, explains that every day between 200-300 persons (including children) cross. This morning only 30 crossed. She adds that the terminal is open 24 hours a day (confirmed later by the driver of the transit). Those wishing to cross from Jerusalem to Al-Ezariya passes through a “carousel” into the terminal, and out through another. In the opposite direction, 3 carousels must be passed at entry, and one more – as well as a check — for exit.Back to the Pishpash:Many Palestinians crossing here and through the monastery. No military police.Hotel:We climb to the Hotel through the settlements on the security road, (exclusive for settlers and army), and continue to the deserted guard-tower on the edge of the road surrounding a few houses in Jabal Mukabar with a fence. On the way back to the road near the fence we meet a man living in one of these incarcerated houses with his wife, children and sick elderly father who needs to get to hospital. He’s on his way to prayers in Sawahre. Once he crossed in five minutes, today he must walk all round the length of the wall in order to pray. On the way back, along the wall as far as the “New Gate” and its surroundings we meet a group guided by Jeff. He explains to the group in a few sentences what Machsom Watch is.Container:We travel from the Pishpash in the transit. At the Container 2 taxis are detained, and there’s a line of 5 vehicles. Routine checks of documents at the terminal. After the delay, the documents are returned, and the passengers pass. The driver of the transit explains to us that he now picks up people at 4:30 a.m. to get to the new terminal.On the way back to Abu-Dis we meet another group touring the wall, this time led by the “Ir Amim” lobby