morning

Watchers: Chana U., Angela G., Maya B. and guest Sara On arrival at Abu Dis we were approached by two Palestinian men whose IDs had been taken by BP an hour earlier, in a jeep which had then "left the scene". Aforesaid jeep was tracked down on the road near the hotel (22-539) and we inquired as to the IDs, pointing out that it was against orders to leave the scene with IDs. A particularly self-assured Druze (?Rabia, according to locals who know him well) gave us a lecture that as there was a "mivtsa" on at the moment he was allowed to do whatever he liked, including leave the scene with the IDs and that he had been working as a Border Policeman for ten years, so he certainly knew more than us. We chose to disagree on the issue of the taking and driving away but were in no position to force the return of the IDs, although on our return to the gas station, the two men were no longer there and presumably had been "freed". There were three BPs at the pishpash, checking IDs there, but we saw no particular problems and therefore progressed to Ma'ale Adumim (no queue of cars) and Sawahre, where life seemed extremely "regular" and a particularly reasonable and decent Ethiopian BP was in charge. Two Palestinians approached us with the problem that they had been allowed to pass the Container CP on Thursday in their private car (they were workers at Mishur Adumim Industrial Estate), going to Bethlehem, without a permit for the car, but now today had not been allowed to return with it, only they on foot were given permission to pass. They were not happy about leaving the car for days on end out there, but were told to go to Ramallah (and no doubt DCO Beit El) to obtain the necessary permit. We phoned various numbers but no one could change this situation, as we had thought, and indeed the BP i/c the checkpoint also could not change what he had been ordered to say, over the phone; so all we could do was pass on a Moked card.... Apart from this, nothing out of the ordinary. As we were leaving, we met two tourists who had not been allowed (as a group of tourists) out of Bethlehem yesterday, Saturday. Their driver had tried CP 300 and DCO and finally managed to exit via Wallaje. One can only wonder what the soldiers at Bethlehem had against a couple of middle-aged American professors one may understand turning ISM "tourists" back at the airport, but keeping perfectly innocent tourists locked in the Bethlehem Ghetto over Christmas? PS Joseph and Mary and the white donkey at Container CP was for real, an action of the Ecumenicals staying in Sawahre, together with local residents. I will try to post a photograph... Reuters photographer was there and it made the international news