Abu Dis, Sawahre & Wadi NarTue. 28 December 2004 AMObservers: Hanna O., Ora K., Yehudit S. & Michaela R. (reporting) 06:15 to 10:1506:30 – Al Ezariya – When we arrived, 17 cars were waiting in line and between 80 and 100 people were standing in a crowd. Some were pedestrians and others were passengers of Transit vans – all of them went one by one to have their papers checked. Now and then they were arranged in a line, with calls of “Get back, get back”. The Border Police soldier wasn’t thrilled by our presence (“You’re disturbing my work’). He gave the papers a cursory examination.Fifteen minutes after our arrival, the line of pedestrians was taken care of (at one point, the Border Police solider didn’t even look at peoples’ papers) and the car line was reduced to a very short one. We wondered whethere things go so quickly when we’re not there.Wadi Nar – We drove to Wadi Nar by the old road from Al – Ezariya. The “security reasons” cited as a reason for closing the road near the garbage dump were revoked today, and the pole that blocked it wasn’t suspended between the two concrete barricades. We still wondered what were those security reasons and why are Palestinians prohibited from taking this road. It’s a narrow, hilly road without any communities along its route. Close to its end (near the checkpoint) there are a number of Palestinian houses, a sort of small village. Since the new road to the Kedar settlement has been paved, no one takes this road any more, apart from army vehicles and MachsomWatch women. While we may not be generals, we still don’t buy the answer that the road is blocked (occasionally…) and may not be used by Palestinians due to security reasons.07:15 The Container- A strange quiet. Only a few vehicle, most of which got through without delays. While we stood there, only three pedestrians arrived (clerics); they did not cross via the turnstiles, and were not checked. Four buses arrived. The first let off two young men - the bus continued and they were released 20 minutes later.A packet of identifying papers was taken off the second bus and peoples’ details were read over the wireless. A few minutes later the names of four young men were called and they were sent to the detainees hut. They too were released 20 minutes later, by which time the bus had of course driven off.No checks were performed on the third and fourth buses.A Transit van was delayed for 10 minutes.Yehudit asked whether there are instructions concerning the upcoming elections. Before the Border Police solider could answer, the checkpoint commander came up and stopped the conversation. He requested that all questions be referred to the Army Spokesperson.08:00 – Ezion District Coordination Office (DCO) – It was closed, and not a soul was to be seen.Az-Za'ayyem – On our way back from Al – Ezariya, we once again looked for the site where people are sent when they try to cross in Abu Dis – the Az-Za'ayyem checkpoint. Although it’s on the main road from Ma’ale Adumim, few people use the main road and at this checkpoint no checks are performed, most of the time.Under the bridge on the way to A-Tour, there was a lot of traffic from all directions. We had been told that there is a proper car-park and an organized facility for security checks: however, we saw nothing of the kind – and thought perhaps we had come to the wrong place. So we took a local Transit van from Ras-al-Amoud. In fact, we were in the “right place.” It simply doesn’t exist. There is a potholed puddle-filled dirt-track that ordinary cars can’t drive on. The road ascends to the wall about one hundred meters from the main road, at the observation post.The two Transit vans drove up to the observation post, and collected more passengers from there. A few pedestrians made their way via the wall. Needless to say, no checks of any sort are made there – whoever manages to get there via this tortuous and distant route can proceed to Jerusalem unhinidered. Long live security….We were appalled. The long road that people are forced to take, the mud, the puddles - it’s humiliating. And this after hearing all the soldiers and commanders directing people to this vile place and, without batting an eyelid, saying that there’s a proper checkpoint there and a parking-lot.Abu Dis – We arrived at the pishpash gate at 08:30. There were no soldiers there and people crossed through the monastery. We saw no Transit vans or buses in the open area – it was completely empty of vehicles.