Sheikh Saed Thursday, 08.06.2006, AM (06:15-10:50)Observers: Neta A., Tamar A. (reporting)Visitor: UriSheikh Saed – It’s quiet when we arrive. One soldier near the military police post, another on the lower road into Jabel Mukaber, some 20 persons in front of the first houses of Shekh Saed waiting for an opportunity to cross the block. We request one of the residents to drive us to the road which according to the military policeman connects the neighbourhood to the Zeitim CP. The “road” is visible on the eastern margins of the neighbourhood: an extremely steep dirt road going to the wadi – not accessible, of course, to vehicles, not even to donkeys, the residents say, and a pedestrian is in danger of slipping (personal experience). It continues on the other side of the wadi to Sawahre A-Sharkia, also very steep, evidently partly paved, transits can drive on it with great difficulty. Another “road” is the sewage track. A few female students from Shekh Saed take this road to Al-Quds University.In the opposite direction traffic is livelier, especially elderly women with large sacks hoping to sell produce in Jerusalem. They come from Beit Omar, from Jericho, from various places in the West Bank. Shekh Saed is the only remaining entrance to Jerusalem for those without a pass and unable to cross at the new “crossings.” That is why the women pay for the transit which brings them to the Wadi and then to another vehicle which brings them to the road-block of Shekh Saed, because they are determined to cross. A driver who conveys the West Bank passengers from one side to the other of Shekh Saed says he earns NIS 250 a day, NIS 80 of which are for gas.When we return, a few dozen meters before the road-block, our driver jumps out of the vehicle and lets another complete the drive, but this one too does not stop at the block, but goes some way up the back road. Both say they fear to go near the block because they don’t have permits.07:20 – There are more military policemen now near the road-block, as well as A. from the DCO, along with Israeli activists and press. Shortly after, a CNN crew arrives, later also a Channel 2 crew. Opposite the MP. post some 25 detainees sit in the sun. Some 7 minutes after our arrival they are called to the road-block, their documents returned, and they are sent back to Shekh Saed.The MPs ignore several women loaded with sacks and crossing along the path below, near the road-block. A man from the medical team at Mukassad Hospital, who lives in Shekh Saed, says he’s daily re-routed to cross at the Zeitim CP. He now requests the soldier for the third time to used his judgement and let him cross – to no avail. “What can I do” says the soldier, “this place is closed. If you have a permit, go to the Zeitim CP.” When a small group of people remonstrates with him, he orders them to move back. “This place must be clear (clean?)”. Unlike yesterday, we don’t hear rude and aggressive shouting. One soldier even approaches the Palestinians with “Shalom, do you have a document?” , but even in gentler language the result is the same: no crossing, and no crowding of the soldiers allowed.For students wishing to arrive for their graduation exams there is a list and, if their names appear on it, they cross. A 75-year-old man approaches the soldier; he is from Bethlehem and wishes to visit his daughter beyond the road-block. He doesn’t accept the soldier’s “no” and tries to walk on but the soldier blocks his way. A veiled woman takes the opportunity of their argument to cross quietly and swiftly and the soldier doesn’t notice. A man over 50, who has had a permit to work in Israel for 20 years, was unable to renew the permit when it lapsed in April, he doesn’t understand why, hopes to be allowed to cross, but in vain.Suddenly the soldiers move towards the houses, holding stun-grenades, journalists and film crews following. They disperse the people but don’t use the grenades. When they return to the road-block, a man with an appointment for a test for heart surgery in Mokassad Hospital wishes to cross. He was unable to get a permit at the DCO, every day they tell him to come tomorrow. The soldier refuses to let him through, but when several people surround him, urging him to use his judgement, he lets the man pass.08:15 – The two soldiers are starting to feel a little out of control; many approach them with pleas, others use the opportunity to cross while they’re not looking. Finally, one of the soldiers pulls out a stun grenade and shouts to them to move back to the row of houses, then puts the grenade away a minute later. His mate does the same.)8:30 – Reinforcements arrive in two jeep-s and a minibus. Many flee immediately in the direction of the houses. The loudspeaker warns: “All are requested to disperse and leave.” Most have already moved away; we followed, and the television crews filmed everything. Another warning (although there are no more people at the road-block): “This is the last one, otherwise we shall use force.” The Palestinians stand quietly in the shade of the houses, and opposite them, on the road-block, a row of MP.s, on their mark, but quiet. Slowly the atmosphere relaxes, and the first ones come up to show their documents in order to cross. 25 minutes later, the reinforcements return to their vehicles, but don’t leave.During the next two hours the scene repeats itself in waves: after the soldiers calm down, the Palestinians approach for the check and a little crowd forms around the soldiers, the reinforcement returns, distances the Palestinians, things calm down, the Palestinians return, the soldiers again feel crowded. No stone was thrown, no one tried to push a soldier, only words and persuasion, sometimes vociferous on the part of the elderly women.10:05 – A Strauss Company truck arrives, and the goods are transported by hand over the road-block.The Channel 2 crew have already left, and after the unloading of the truck the CNN crew also leaves. We feel that the danger of fire increases, and although we too are tired, we hesitate to leave. The director of “Bezelem” arrives with two American guests, but they cannot replace us because they are on a general tour of the Jerusalem wall.10:40 – In view of our cameras, and those of the American guests, the soldiers once again drive away the few people near the road-block, this time throwing a few stun grenades deep into the two roads above the block. One man in the group that has already moved dozens of meters away shouts: “Wait, everyone is leaving” but another grenade is hurled in their direction. Ten minutes later it’s over. For now. We leave, as do the “Bezelem” people, as well as the minibus with most of the reinforcements.