Abu Dis, Sheikh Saed, Thu 25.10.07, Morning

We had started from Sheikh Saed. We were here half a year ago. Nothing changed except that a barbed wire fence physically separates Sheikh Saed from Jabel Mukaber.

A group of people waits at the checkpoint on the Sheikh Saed side. We are approached by a 65 year old man with a bag and a stick. He wants to pick olives from his olive trees , which are in the Gabel Mukaber area. He says that he went to pick olives for 4 days and everything was OK. An officer said there will be no problems and now soldiers do not let him pass. Luckily, the relevant border police officer sits in a nearby jeep. We call him and he comes to the checkpoint. He explains to the soldiers that people are allowed to pick olives. Their names have to be written down, they have to be checked, but they can enter “the better part of the world”. The benevolence of the ruler ends at this point.

A very ill old man tries to get to the Muqassad hospital accompanied by a young relative. “No, he can only go alone.” Our argument that he would not send his old grandparents to the hospital alone does not fly. A 60 year old lady says that she needs to get to the ophthalmologic hospital. She loses her chance by telling that she has also diabetes and cancer. The officer tells us that he knows her and that he is sure that she wants to sell vegetables at the bazaar. We point out ineffectually that it does not seem to be such a terrible crime.

Other people just stay put and observe the checkpoint, no way to pass. We ask the officer how people are supposed to reach services outside Sheikh Saed (there are no services here, except for a few small shops with food. “Oh, there is an excellent road leading to Sawahre”, says the officer – “there are buses and people can go about their business easily”. We go to see this “excellent road”. It is inclined steep down and then steep up. People were busy paving the very steep part of the road before winter time. A rich Palestinian provided funds.

Sawahre - a passage between Jabel Mukaber and Sawahre: Only Jerusalemites with blue ID and members of some families with Palestinian ID who own houses in Jabel Mukaber are allowed to pass. Just a few people pass when we are there. We meet a person who complains about the behavior of one of soldiers.

Abu-Dis (pishpash) - The huge cement wall was moved so that people will not be able to bypass through the nearby monastery. One cement block is missing and some people can pass, probably Jerusalemites who live nearby. We wanted to get in but an officer in a jeep warned us that if we get in we will have to return trough the remote Zeitim CP.