Morning

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Nov-30-2003
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Watchers: R.R., Ch. A guest: M.S., medical student with World Council of ChurchesAt the Abu Dis wall at 6:40 there were only two soldiers on the roof over the gas station. Tamar, who we met as we pulled up, told us one of the betonadot had been thrown down, making a deluxe crossing point. We walked up to it and crossed. On the way we had seen lots of crossers and no detaineesinfo-icon.We took a transit to Sawahra. Our driver had to maneuver deftly against the heavy traffic coming from there, a good sign. At the container checkpoint, soldiers encased in cement blocks protection, were half heartedly checking papers. The line of cars and trucks flowed around the blocks and traffic was heavy. A father with two kids from the eastern part of the village walked unhampered into the western part, followed by teenage school girls. He said: everything OK. All seemed well and we felt not needed. One "new addition" "chidush": the Blue Police. The police man was looking for traffic infringements: Everyone buckled-in according to law? Lights on? Babies protected by belts? The absurdities of occupation.Back at Abu Dis, the cement block had been replaced, army jeeps were abounding and we had to squeeze through a tiny opening between two blocks. We helped a local woman and her babyinfo-icon, then took her in the car (after inspection by the BP) to Mukassad Hospital where she works.We decided to go to Qalandiya too since we knew no one was there this morning. It was now 8:30. The CP on the southern side was a madhouse. Cars and trucks all over the place. On the north side, human traffic flowed smoothly. One woman, whose ID had been taken, was waiting with her four small kids, one a babe in arms. She was from Hebron, had been visiting family for the Id el-fitr. After talking to her only for a minute, the older officer at the CP came over without prodding on our part, and asked her (again, he said) where she was going. Her ID was returned in no time and she was sent on her way (to the next who-knows-how-many CP's). A young man, with a permit to go to Afula for an eye operation, had been waiting one and a half hours (he said). We called Naama and asked for her help. Within fifteen minutes he allowed through and we went home.