Sawahre, Wadi-Nar 4/2/2004 Watchers: Julia W., Diane G., Netanya G., Rahel W. (reporter) We travelled to Wadi-Nar via Maaleh Adumim. There were no roadblocks or checkpoints en route to the place, but there was one before entering Jerusalem on the way back.As soon as we arrived at the Container, vehicles from both direction (which seemed to have been held up) started moving, but very, very slowly. Although there could have been two way traffice, vehicles moved in one direction.The commander of the post, Nahum, was a singularly rude, nasty piece of work. He was insulting, humiliating, and crude toward everyone. When he saw us, he strutted over and demanded that we leave the area of the checkpoint or he would have us arrested. When we ignored his request — we were not bothering anybody or interferring with anything– he just walked away and started barking at others.While the vehicles in both direction moved very slowly, three of the border police were busy painting a wall. Every so often, but especially when Nahum went to do something else, groups of vehicles were allowed through with no check whatsoever. For the people there, it was the luck of the draw — a matter of minutes or seconds if they would get through. There were two detainees who were unlucky enough to be walking through at the wrong time — most passed without any check whatsoever– but we couldn’t get anyplace near them and there was no possibility of respectful or reasonable dialogue with Nahum.One case which we unsuccessfully tried to assist was that of a member of the Palestinian Authority who was on his way to Hebron with a Cadi who had just returned from the Hajj via Jericho. Nahum would not allow them to pass. After an hour with the DCO and with the Center for the Defence of the Individual, we learned that even though the driver and his passenger had permits to travel, the car did not!!! and therefore, they could not go.It was a horribly depressing watch.