Abu Dis, Sawachre, Sheikh Saed, Thu 16.6.11, Morning
6:10 Sheikh Saed
People are passing through, some quickly and some more slowly. Breaking the checkpoint’s morning silence is one man’s emotional voice, asking to open the gate. He raises his voice, angering the examiners. He says his brother will die if they don’t let him through, and that given the situation, he has no choice but to yell. Indeed, in a car that stands nearby, surrounded by many people, an adolescent boy with Down syndrome is strewn across the back seat with an oxygen mask strapped to his face. Feverish activity commences at the shack and numerous phone calls are overheard. After a while, a Red Crescent ambulance arrives. The metal checkpoint gates
open, and the ambulance backs up to the ill boy’s car. It may be said that the security personnel’s conduct was reasonable here, but having to negotiate with them in the first place about a life-threatening situation, is that reasonable? Did our presence help?
We are required to show our IDs. When we try to pass through the checkpoint we are stopped. After explaining our case, the one detaining us agrees to make some calls and finally we’re allowed to pass.
People are passing through on foot, mostly students, heading west through the checkpoint. There are also some people going east. One car passes through while we are there, after undergoing meticulous examination