Morning

Along the way to Abu Dis there is significantly high number of border police and policemen in the usual point. We told the policemen that we were travelling around and taking the short cut to Abu Tor.... it worked again... we passed two or three other provsional checkpoints before reaching Abu Dis... A full closure in Abu Dis, nobody is allowed towards Jerusalem not even with special permissions. The place looks deserted... At the mosque it's very quiet too... we passed through and the soldiers (there were four) warned us not to get deep inside Abu Dis because there is full curfew and shooting there... Indeed, Abu Dis looked like a dead place and the noise of shooting was heard occasionally from a close distance.On our way back, the soldiers at the mosque who saw us passing just 10 minutes earlier, did'nt want to let us out because as they said to other people (Palestinians) as well, no one is allowed west (towards Jerusalem...). There were another young man and a woman who tried to get through at the same time .. the woman argued with the soldiers for a long time telling them and us that she lives in Ras al Amud and that she left her children there but to no avail. The soldiers also said they could go through A zayem.... the young man said he saw soldiers beating Palestinians at AzayemWe were finally let through with a warning. People were allowed east (to Abu Dis) with again a warning that they would not be let out (west) afterwards.Back at the gas station there was a group of about 10 detainees... all older people, traditionally dressed, who came from Hebron early in the morning for the prayers in Jerusalem. They were stopped at Sawahre and walked all the way from there, while fasting, and then were caught in Abu Dis. We talked to them and then a border police commander and soldier screamed at us to stop talking to them and stay away. There were another 3 detainees on the other side... all were released shortly afterwards and sent all the way back.On the way to A zayem through Eizarya we saw people climbing down a wall bypassing the checkpoint, taxis (vans) collecting people from the streets and old people moving quickly from a private car to a taxi (van)... at one point within a short distance from where unalert soldiers were positioned...In A zayem a huge mess... there were about three Palestinian buses with passengers on their way to the prayers in Jerusalem. All were stopped... I.D.s checked (a procedure which took around 30 -60 mins) and then sent back...the soldiers said that blue I.D.s are allowed through but these buses were all from the territories. A Palestinian with a UN work certificate told us that they left Jericho at 7 a.m. in the morning with the promise from the Israeli administration that they would be allowed through to Jerusalem. He was escorting an old woman who has breast cancer. She had a letter indicating her condition but no formal documenation. Despite of the lack of proper documentaion and with some intervention on our part and the UN worker, the soldiers, who were reasonable and considerate considering the situation, let both the man (UN's) and the woman to get out of the bus and carry on to Jerusalem on there own. The rest of the passengers were sent with the bus back. For some unclear reason,a few taxis were allowed through although they did'nt have blue I.D.s