Abu-Dis,Shekh SaedTuesday, 20.06.2006, PMObservers: Natanya G., Rahel W. (reporting) guest Shekh Saed Arrived before 15:00 PM. There were 5 border police at the checkpoint. They told us that we were not allowed through, but after we asked to see the document forbidding our entry (there was none) and suggesting that they call P. (they didn’t), they said we could go in “on our own responsibility”. There was a young man standing there (blue ID) who obviously has a workshop in Shekh Saed and wanted to deliver a window to a client in Jabel Mukaber. He was not allowed through the checkpoint with his window. (Thank God our security was protected by not allowing this man to go through and make his delivery!)Issam, a painter by trade, was standing near one of the shops near the checkpoint and offered to drive us around Shekh Saed to see the “roads” that they are dependent upon to get deliveries. We accepted and were driven to the potholed donkey path through which all deliveries must come. Issam explained that the road is too treacherous for cars so the goods are dropped off at the bottom and shlepped up the steep incline into the village. Just as we arrived, we noticed two men dragging 1 x 3 meter sheets of wood, in the searing heat, up the hill. On our way back, we saw a Downs Syndrome boy in his teens who, Issam told us, was denied access to his schoolbus today because, according to the BP at the check point, “he could have been faking his infirmity”. We drove along the back road to Ras-el-Amud to the Abu-Dis wall. There were BP stationed at five different points along the wall, in addition to those stationed at the Cliff Hotel. We saw no one entering into or emerging from Abu-Dis. On our way back, our guest, who is a Type I diabetic was measuring his blood sugar. He said that the stress and anguish of the visit had forced up his blood sugar level. Throughout the shift, he kept asking “but why” and asking us to explain the rational of what he saw. Needless to say, we were unable to do so.For those wanting to contact Issam and go around Shekh Saed, his number is: 052-266-5531