Morning

Sawahre:No checking by the "container", but only way down in the valley. A Border Police officer in a jeep that we weren't allowed to be down there, since it is area A. Indeed, on the way back we noticed a sign saying "Area A" that we had missed before.Abu Dis:The break in the wall opposite the gas station is still there, enabling people in good physical condition to pass with little effort. However, there is a new buildup of concrete slabs just behind the old wall. Some of them have cheerful paintings on them, so out of place in the tristesse of the wall area. A transit driver on that side told us that the drivers had collected NIS 500 to build a few stairs to make it easier for people to pass, but that the new construction was destroyed by border police the same day. We asked the checkpoint commander what gives "us" the right to destroy property on their side. First, he pointed out that it was just us saying that it is theirs at all and second, he explained that he had ordered the destruction of the stairs "as a mental preparation for the fact that soon they won't be allowed to pass at all".An acquaintance who lives very close to the wall told us that a few days ago, soldiers came to his home in the middle of the night, destroying the main entrance (and later two mobile phones) and throwing tear gas inside the house, allegedly to find wanted men.