Abu Dis & Wadi NarThu. 2 December 2004 AMObservers: Hanna Y., Meira A. (reporting) Pishpash gate: - A lot of traffic, mostly children on their way to school. The occupants of a Border Police jeep were supervising matters, and randomly checking those who crossed through the pishpash gate. Later another jeep arrived, bringing food for the soldiers on duty. While the soldiers were getting organized, there were no checks and crossing was unimpeded. In a change from last week, the opening in the monastery fence (near the taxis) has been rebuilt and once again people have to “jump” over it. Although it’s relatively low, it still presents a problem to the elderly, women, and small children. Since the army was present we noticed considerable movement of people through the monastery’s courtyard (probably Palestinians without papers, or with the wrong kind of permits). One Palestinian told us that the previous day the army had closed the pishpash gate for several hours.Again we heard the version of who crosses at the pishpash – children and employees of Palestinian families who can’t pay for the drive around (Al Ezariya and Az-Zayyem): the price of these trips, they say, totals 300 shekels a month. We wonder what will happen when the pishpash gate is closed for good. We drove to Wadi Nar via A-Tour.Wadi Nar - we arrived at 08:00 and found a particularly quiet checkpoint, smiling soldiers and collaborators. No traffic, and no detainees. I was glad to hear that once again people are driving to Wadi Nar with local taxis, I think this is the best way of hearing directly from the local population what’s really going on and to get an impression of driving on the roads of Abu Dis and Sawahre.