Ras Abu Sbitan (Olive Terminal), Sheikh Saed, Wed 10.10.07, Afternoon

 (14:00-17:30)

Sheikh Saed

Major road works were carried out at the bottom of the CP and a truckload full of gravel was unloaded almost in the middle of the road. The Commander A. allowed us to enter after we had been refused by one of the many civilian security guards. The security guards are "not allowed" to talk to us, but this is no army instruction, but the rule of their bosses apparently.

Two houses next to the CP were being fenced off and they now have to climb over rubble to reach their doors, since they can no longer use the access road to the village via the CP. All inhabitants to the left of the village road, closest to Jebel Mukabr have blue ID’s. Most have left: there used to be more than 3,000 inhabitants, only a little over a thousand are left.

A driver in possession of a green ID, but illegally driving a car with yellow number plates took us over the smelly stream of sewerage to the Sawahre-Sa’ad CP. He is afraid to get close, because he might be arrested.

The CP has undergone considerable changes since we visited last. It has become totally inhuman, the doors, turnstiles and passages are all electronically controlled. Someone spoke to us from the ceiling to allow us to pass and even to return.

Some workers and two young women were the only pedestrians passing. The two large yellow gates that close off the road were closed. The civilian security guard looked rather frightening. The soldiers were friendly.

our driver can get only to Abu-Dis and the Zeitim CP and to the South not beyond the Container. He is too young to obtain a magnetic card and work permit for work in the settlements and said that a permit for Jerusalem is only possible if someone is seriously ill.

We drove via the America Road to Ras El Amud and from there to Abu Dis.

It was empty at the Pishpash. It looked as if the wall has not yet been erected on the premises of the Monastery, but we were not allowed to check it out from where the soldiers’ booth stands.

Via Beit Fageh we drove to the Israeli side of the Zeitim CP which was already empty – only two women with a few young children trudged through the fences.

We marveled at the landscaping. The end of the fast was near. This was very apparent when we got into a huge traffic jam exiting via A-Tur. We passed a huge colorful market with enormous activity across Damascus Gate near the Bus Station.