'Anata-Shu'afat, Abu Dis, Ras Abu Sbitan (Olive Terminal), Sheikh Saed, Mon 7.10.13, Morning
1. foundation of a new building, checkpoint?
7:00 Anata - Shuafat
As is well known, the road to the checkpoint (and back) is very long -- not clear why so planned -- and this is brought home when everyone is in a hurry in the morning.
In the inner parking lot a team of orderlies organizes and guides the transportation of school children with reprimands and warnings, overseen by a guard from the "Tzurim" company who counts the buses.
G., from the neighborhood committee, tells us of the unholy alliance with Arieh King, in opposition to the garbage dump which the municipality plans to
create south of the neighborhood (between it and the road to Ma'ale Adumim). He also reports of co-operation between the neighborhood committees in East Jerusalem. For instance, he's well apprised of what goes on at the Sheikh Saed checkpoint.
The pupils' buses cross in a separate lane without inspections, and the rest is done by military police, border police and civilian security.
8:00 Olive Terminal
The wall is not yet connected to the checkpoint's fence. The transportation folk say that the rest rooms are locked due to Palestinian vandalism -- the premises broken, vandalized and befouled.
The crossing point itself is rather empty; for a few minutes, everything is closed, then two lanes opened.
8:40 Sheikh Saed
We came to inspect progress on work for the benefit of residents (a parking lot for Sheikh Saed residents who cannot enter the neighborhood in their cars). Should we use scare quotes? A very narrow view of "benefits," with the suspicion that they do not preclude a larger scheme to benefit the security establishment. On the positive side, however, a permanent checkpoint is being set up without blocking the local passage between Sheikh Saed and Jabel Mukhaber.