Abu Dis, Container (Wadi Nar), Ras Abu Sbitan (Olive Terminal), Wed 20.2.08, Morning

Share:
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Email
Observers: 
Edna P., Anat T. (reporting)
Feb-20-2008
|
Morning
06:45 Wadi Naar (the container)

A day after the smow without a trace the children go to school - some on a donkey, and some walking, who knows how many kilometers. Some come from the area of Keidar to the schools in Jerusalem beyond the checkpoint. The child who arrived with a donkey ties him with a rope and looks at us suspiciously. It seems that he is afraid that because of us he might not find the donkey when he returns from school, and the donkey who is doomed to hours of waiting is not content either. At the checkpoint itself - all through our stay at the place - about half an hour - there were no delays in the thin traffic (we were surprised by how thin it was. Maybe it was the result of the snow in Hebron).
 
We had a nice talk with A., the representative of the DCO. We were glad to hear that there is a representative of the DCO in the place all day long. He mentioned again the worrying news (that does not sound logical, but who knows) that they might enlarge the checkpoint and make is a permanent station.

 
08:15 Zeitim passage

On the way from Wadi Naar we call Nava and Neta who are in Sho'afat checkpoint. They don't need us to replace them today, but if we had to get there - it would have taken us at least 40 minutes, since the road leading from Ma'ale Adumim to Jerusalem and to Ez- Zaim checkpoint is jammed. When we get to Zeitim passage there is only a trickle of people going into Jerusalem. We check how long it takes a person who has just come out of the checkpoint and entered a van that goes to Jerusalem. Well, he has to wait for the van to come and then fill up - twenty minutes, and this is in the rush hour in the morning.

 

08:50 Cliff hotel

The area of the Pishpash is as empty as usual. The road up to the Cliff hotel is blocked by a car that the soldiers at the checkpoint would not let go through. On the other side there is a toll track waiting to go to Abu Dis. About ten minutes later a huge van of the settlers who live in the house behind the checkpoint near the hotel arrives, and goes through immediately while exchanging hearty greetings with the soldiers. They are really the lords of the land. Until when, until when?