Morning

Abu Dis (08:30) - About 5 soldiers, 2 Border Police jeeps. People made their way through the field and through a narrow opening made by an opening between the concrete blocks near the mosque. Those crossing the field were checked randomly. One driver drew our attention to soldiers patroling on the Abu Dis side of the wall, complaining this side is under Palestinian authority. As we got there, the soldiers asked us if we are aware that the Israeli law does not rule there. We said we are aware of that but if so what were they doing there... we got no answer....Sawahre - fully closed - The heavy barrier was pulled down and no car and/or pedestrians were allowed through either way unless they could prove they had special permission from the secret police (Shabak) for the day, which of course very few had. Blue I.D.'s were treated the same as other I.D's There was a long line of cars and trucks on both directions . Drivers coming from Beithlehem and Hebron were surprised and angry they were stopped here as they said they crossed several other checkpoints on their way and were not stopped even once before. Other people said the checkpoint was closed several times this week with no special reason or notice. Pedestrians, most of them old men and women, coming by taxi, were trying to cross the checkpoint on foot, but all were detained, among them an old couple who were on their way to visit their son who stays in a special home for people with disabilities in Azariah, and another old man who needed to go to the hospital. Two old women with heavy bags on their heads ingnored the soldiers and made their way through any way. The rest of the people made their way through the hill -- the taxis dropped them at the foot of the hill, afew hundred meters before the checkpoint, and they made their way up with all their belongings. About an hour later an ambulance arrived from the Bethlehem side with a patient with heart disease. A few minutes later another ambulance arrived from the Abu Dis direction on its way to fetch a patient from the Bethlehem area but the soldeirs refused to let them through. We called Safadi and the Moked. He promised the ambulances would be allowed through and shortly afterwards the ambulance with the heart patient was allowed passage. As for the other one, Safadi said he could'nt do much and referred us to Eldad Shusef, the checkpoint commander from a different border police district. Meanwhile, our attention was drawn to a pregnant woman sitting in a private car who was due to have her baby on her way to Hussain Hospital in Bet Jalah. We called Eldad and the Moked who called upon the Civil Administration and Physicians for Human Rights who all promised to help. The other ambulance gave up and turned back toward Abu Dis where it came from. At 11:30, the barrier was suddenly lifted and all (most) cars and pedestrians were allowed through after being checked.As we made our way back through Abu Dis (12:00) we saw no soldiers by the area (field/gas station etc.)