'Anata-Shu'afat, Abu Dis, Al-Ezariya, Container (Wadi Nar), Mon 6.5.13, Afternoon
Anata
We went first to Anata at just about the time that children were getting out of school. We noticed about 10 young girls, most of them appeared to be 3rd or 4th graders walking on the sidewalk along side vehicular traffic. It was quite hot and this would be a short cut for them. As they approached the checkpoint, two border police approached them and obviously scolded them and would not allow them to proceed across the checkpoint. Several of the children retraced their steps and went the long way through the designated path for pedestrians. Apparently two ore three of the girls managed to climb over the metal fence. Considering the nonchalant attitude of the children as they approached the checkpoint, we had to assume that on previous occasions they were allowed to take this short cut. Like so many other things, it was a matter of luck, and this time, the luck was not in their favor.
Al Ezariya
Very little traffic in Eyzariya.
Container (Wadi Nar)
We proceeded to Wadi Nar and were approached, almost immediately by a border policeman. He was very familiar with machsomwatch and was quite pleasant toward us. He said that just that morning, they had seized a terrorist who came with 300,000 dollars or shekels (it was not clear) for distribution in Abu Dis. He also said that almost every evening, there is some kind of hostile activity near the checkpoint. He said that the water supply had been cut; fires had been set, etc.
A second border policeman then approached, a Bedouin from the north. He said that all the male members of his tribe enter the army even though they do not get the benefits coming to them. He complained that his family was not allowed to build a home and had to live with his grandparents. But then he said, “But what can we do. That’s the way things are”.
Traffic moved quite smoothly although the occasional car was pulled over for inspection. No vehicles coming from the south were stopped. Vans were lined up to transport workers, but during the time we were there (between 3:00 and 4:00 p,m.), no workers came through,