Abu-Dis, Waadi-Nar 12.1.2003 Observers: Tali S., Yehudit S., Nurit S. (reporter) Abu-Dis We arrived at about 2:30 and met lots of media people at theconstruction of the monstrous new wall. We too were horrified. The wholearea was empty of ordinary people who have some kind of business there. Itwas closed off by the army in order to protect people from getting hurt bythe huge construction machinery. We walked across the area that is not yetclosed off and found the taxis further down the road and took one to WaadiNaar. There was a general atmosphere of depression and shock due to thebuilding of the wall. Waadi-Nar When we arrived there was a very long line of vehicles waitingto pass from Abu-Dis to Bethlehem and it was not moving. In the oppositedirection there were no waiting vehicles. There was a soldier at thecheckpoint who was listlessly waving the cars past at a slow rate. Very fewcars were checked at all. At our urging, he passed them through faster andsoon there was no line at all. This soldier and another who was guarding himtook an interest in us. Although one of them seemed to have firm politicaldisagreements with us, they were actually friendly and pleasant. The one whodidn’t talk to us about politics told us he is an Arab. When we decided toleave the soldier at the checkpoint thoughtfully stopped a taxi going in ourdirection and asked him if he would take us. Abu-Dis Upon our return to Abu-Dis we were approached by a journalist whowanted to interview us. We spoke to him for a while in the street but whenthe rain got heavier he suggested we go stand on the porch of a nearbyhouse. We said that we should ask the residents for permission and he didso (he speaks Arabic). We were soon invited in and were served tea, cake,coffee and cigarettes and warmly greeted by the whole family. We wereinterviewed together with the head of the household who is the owner of arestaurant in the area. There seem to be no more words to describe thetagedy of this wall.