Abu Dis, Container (Wadi Nar), Ras Abu Sbitan (Olive Terminal), Sheikh Saed, Mon 10.5.10, Afternoon
From 2:00 till 5:00 PM
The girls’ school was just out in Jebel Mukaber and we have never seen so many school children at the same time. They totally blocked the entire road and passage was extremely difficult also due to the many buses which had come to collect them and had to navigate between the rows of youth. Almost all girls wore the apparently obligatory white scarf, even the young ones.
A victim was finally found to give a name to the ‘numbered’ street in Nof Zion, his name is Zeharyahu Urieli a leader in the Hagana some eighty years ago. There is also a small grocery store, which apparently just opened.
Sheikh Saed
It was hot and hazy and even hotter down in Sheikh Saed where the heat contributed to the smell of the garbage. Only very few people passed. The new tall building has been plastered, so someone is investing in construction.
A young father only in possession of a green Id came down with two little girls. He had received special permission to visit his wife who had given birth to a baby
boy in the Mukassed Hospital, we offered them a ride and they thanked us profusely – halfway his brother-in-law came to collect them.
Phishpash
In front of the tiny opening of the Pishpash a road along the newly built wall has been paved, we took it for a short ride – there were neither soldiers nor guards. The place looked deserted, but very grim with its watchtower and fenced sleeves with coiled barbed wire.
Olive Terminal
The Olive Terminal was practically empty – many cars were parked in the parking lot and along the road.
At the entrance to the Kedar Road we tried in vain to give the Palestinians the right of way, there was a long line of vehicles and hardly any in our direction, but we were hooted at and had to proceed.
Wadi Nar
In Wadi Nar one car with a special ‘test’ number had been held up when we arrived. It looked as if the driver and his passenger had been waiting outside in the oppressive heat for a long time. When we approached they were offered water and then within a few minutes were sent on their way – they apparently thought this was our doing from the way they thanked us, but we didn’t believe we had such powers.
The small garden next to the CP with its nana plants (for the soldiers’ tea) looks neglected. We were told to stay away from it; it has probably been upgraded into a closed military zone. The road which had been closed off (until May 26th) for improvements is now open. Most of the cars use it to get to El Azariya, Ramalla and beyond and the rest turn left towards the El Kuds University. We were told that it can be used, but that the work has not yet been entirely completed. We could not find out whether it was a great improvement, but it is certainly shorter.