Abu Dis, Ras Abu Sbitan (Olive Terminal), Fri 3.8.12, Morning

Place:

Abu Dis

Ras Abu Sbitan (Olive Terminal)

Observers:

Rahel M., Michaela R. (reporting)

Aug-3-2012

Morning

Ramadan, third Friday

Olive Terminal

In general: more people arriving. More men of the "forbidden" age were not allowed to cross.

Hallelujah, a water-spraying cooler has arrived! And the piles of garbage have been cleared.

The soldiers' refreshment corner is next to the checkpoint, and they snack in front of those crossing.

The barbed wire below the parking lot is breached, and men are working to repair it.

A constant stream of arrivals. This week crossing was less efficiently managed, with frequent long lines in the men's track. Youths over the age of 12 and men under 40 were forbidden to cross. The companion of two elderly men who had difficulty walking was turned baack. When we confronted the DCO representative with the fact that in previous years similar cases were allowed to cross, he said there were other family members of the appropriate age who could accompany, and the companion who is almost 40 was refused. The old man sat down and his wife had to stand for a long time. Eventually the old man decided to turn back; we didn't see what his wife did.

The youths who were refused loitered and 3 young border policemen "dealt" with them forcibly. Those who didn't leave immediately were manhandled.

This week too, at the entrance to the checkpoint, at the second checking point, a police officer stood, behaving arrogantly and impatiently. He "personally" led away those who were refused, to make sure they wouldn't try again.

And for dessert: We saw some 7 men led by security forces on the hill between the checkpoint and road to Ma'aleh Adumim (opporite Az-Za'ayemm). Two more from the western side of the checkpoint were added to the group. We heard on the soldiers wireless the order that "they should be arrested for damaging the fence." They all sat down in the sun north of the parking lot. Later they were moved to a spot, still in the sun, behind the buses, out of view. Shortly after our arrival they were led into the checkpoint where we could no longer observe. Sad ending to this holiday

Location Description

Abu Dis / Lazarus gate (formerly The Wicket)

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Lazarus Checkpoint/Gate (east of the former “wicket”)

Construction of the wall in the Abu Dis area blocked all the gaps that allowed people to cross from al-Ezariya to the neighbourhoods of Abu Dis and Ras al 'Amud that are located within Jerusalem’s municipal boundary. The Lazarus checkpoint is a gate in the wall adjacent to the Lazarus Monastery. Until 2011 it had a door for pilgrims to al-Ezariya and for the monastery’s kindergarten pupils from al-Ezariya. The crossing is currently closed, but the site has infrastructure for conducting inspections.

Ras Abu Sbeitan (Olives Checkpoint)

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A large checkpoint/crossing to the area of a-Tur, Abu Dis and the Old City; only for pedestrians. Located on Jerusalem’s municipal boundary.

One of the major crossings in Jerusalem’s central sector. It is located on the separation fence between the northern portion of the al-Ezariya neighborhood and the neighborhood of a-Tur and the rest of East Jerusalem. It is manned by Border Police soldiers and private security companies and operates 24 hours a day. Palestinians are forbidden to go through, other than permanent residents of East Jerusalem (holders of blue ID cards) and holders of work and commercial permits who are allowed through only on foot.