Abu Dis Sunday PM, 12.6.05Observers: Yehudit S., Chagit S. (reporting)The Pishpash – 12:00: Besides a police car that drove away a few minutes after we arrived, we see no military or police all along the way. People cross over in both directions through the monastery. An hour later, three BP soldiers stood by the monastery gate but did not check anyone. The local residents told us that yesterday (Saturday) there were many soldiers around, and from the reports we learned that on Friday things were quite rough. We met C., who lives in Betanya (Al-Ezariya) and received the various necessary documents for closing her police file (illegal entry) so she could obtain a magnetic card and a permit to enter Jerusalem. C. has been going for a long time with her young son for treatments at a clinic in the old city, and has never had an entry permit. She applied for one at the Ma’ale Adumim DCO, but things there dragged on and on so we decided to try and speed them up a little. The meeting with C. caused people to gather around us, each with his pack of troubles, and we found ourselves “opening an office” and taking down details of other people entangled in bureaucracy and evil, for us to deal with.13:00: We drove on the paved road winding southward through Kidmat Zion where an army post is stationed on the roof top of its two houses (a Jewish variation of “the grass widow”?). Some paved pathways depart from that road: southwards to a pillbox overlooking Jabel Mukaber, and eastwards into Sawahre. This path is blocked and vehicles are barred from traveling on it. For the meantime, the paved road ends in the valley between Sawahre on the east, Jabel Mukaber on the west, and Sheich Said on the southern side. The purpose of the road is to protect the wall (a security road). The purpose of the impressive iron fence on its side is to protect the security road. One cannot but marvel at the promised protection. We saw no military or police around and there is also no sign prohibiting driving on the road. 14:00: We went back via A-Tur and the old city and apart from the almost regular BP at the Dung Gate exit, there is no army or police to be seen.