Abu Dis (Pishpash), Anata & Sawahre Sunday 23 January 2005, AMObservers: Sylvia P. & Ofra B. (reporting)Guest: Suzanna – a journalist, from Hong Kong06:50 – Anata checkpoint – The checkpoint has “grown” – the row of concrete barricades is now longer and the checkpoint’s total area has increased markedly. A few pedestrians crossed, though not via the fenced-off crossing. Cars were crossing without interruption. It was quiet. Because it was Sunday, there were no schoolchildren on the road or on the hill.07:20 – Impromptu checkpoint at Ma’ale Adumim - Two police jeeps at the checkpoint on the crossing from Al Ezariya to Ma’ale Adumim. There were 23 detainees at the roadside. The soldiers in the jeep told us that checking their papers was taking time. The line of cars (almost only taxis and the yellow Transit vans) was particularly long, and crossing went slowly. Today the checks were rigorous – handbags, plastic bags and suitcases were being emptied out. My empathic feeling is that it’s humiliating when people have to empty a suitcase on the ground with an armed soldier/policeman looming over them.We talked at length to I. from Bethlehem. He works in a church there, and was on his way to Jordan to travel to an international conference in Brazil. He didn’t understand the reason for the delay – he’s well-known to the soldiers and they had already checked his luggage.We stayed at this checkpoint for over an hour. Sylvia tried to speed up the process by phoning the regional commander, but couldn’t get through to him. Most of the detainees were allowed to go on their way after half an hour. More detainees took their place. We drove on and half an hour later heard that I. had been released.08:40 – Sawahre checkpoint – A surprise today, like there is every week. A barbed-wire fence wrapped in concertina rolls now totally surrounds the entire area of the checkpoint. It has actually increased its area – since it includes the road from Bethlehem, through the dirt area to the east, the pedestrian crossing from the north, and the road from Al Ezariya that we drove on. There was very little traffic, just a few cars that crossed quickly – from both directions. Two taxis were waiting at the roadside, each one waiting for a passenger whose papers hadn’t yet been returned. We tried to enlist Eldad Shizaf’s help to speed matters up, but there was no answer from his office.09:20 – Pishpash gate – Very few people, no cars, and no army/police vehicles. A few minibuses were parked near the torn-up road, waiting to take children to school, and a taxi or two. We walked through the monastery yard. The fence separating it from Abu Dis to the east of the wall has been opened up quite extensively. We discovered that the low wall – which was the “separation fence” before the high wall went up – has been dismantled. Now the separation is achieved by a single wall, eight metres high, from both sides of which people still squeeze through, and on both sides of which people get on with their lives.