Abu-Dis

Abu Dis and Wadi Nar

H.S., Y.S., S.S., O.A.

Holiday spirit. People in holiday clothes climbing over the wall.
No sign of soldiers at Abu Dis or at the former pishpash; no
security at all. Police; also BP near the hotel and one policeman
in uniform. At the container machsom there stand five policemen and
two blue police vehicles. They tell us that the name of the one in
charge of the machsom is Ya'ad People are standing in both
directions in short lines and are checked casually. Pedestrians are
passing through Abu Dis with no problem. We asked if there are any
people being held back. "Of course there are people being held
back! That's our job!" answers one of the veteran reserve
soldiers by the name of Yaniv and points to six people waiting at
the side of the road. Private vehicles and taxis are arriving from
the direction of Bethlehem. They explain to us that the orders are
to allow passage for the taxis but not for the private vehicles.
The taxis pass through, after being checked, but the private
vehicles are sent back. A huge truck, which could have hiddden
canons and kasam rockets, a kind of closed refrigerator truck, and
its passengers are hardly checked at all and continue on their way.
The lack of rational distinctions is quite
conspicuous.

An older person in holiday clothes stands next to his car, in which
sit his family. He says they have been waiting for an hour and a
half. They aren't allowed through, they leave in discouragement and
return home. Israel private vehicles are not allowed to pass in the
direction of Bethlehem

An inhabitant of the neighbourhood of Awad behind the container
relates that during the past few days they are having problems at
the checkpoint. He asks that we help them and their children who
are going to school to obtain concessions on passage through. H.
agrees to try to arrange a meeting with Rafi and Eldad for the
residents, in which also A. who has a "special status"
will take part.