Abu-Dis

Abu Dis: The gate was open, and there
were no soldiers around. People moved in both directions quite
freely. No BPs at the hotel either. But a taxi driver told us that
there had been problems further up the road towards the Mt. of
Olives, but we found nothing. Back near the church and building
yard at Beit Fajje, eight men standing in the lane said they had
been there for several hours, after their ID cards had been taken.
The BP officer standing by the two jeeps confirmed this. He said it
took that long because "there are forms to be filled",
adding that the IDs of 30 passengers on a bus from Jericho had had
to be checked, and that they had all been sent back. The IDs were
returned minutes later, but the men were told they could not
pass.

Wadi Nar: Four jeeps were standing at the checkpoint. Taxis and
trucks with green number plates were given free passage in both
directions, with the occasional vehicle stopped for a few minutes
while the BP checked the passengers' ID. The driver of one private
car (white number plate) from the direction of Bethlehem was told
to cross through Checkpoint 300. All pedestrians in both directions
had their IDs checked, and only those who lived in the Abu Dis or
Bethlehem areas were allowed through.

Back at Beit Fajje, on the "main" road going up to the
Mount of Olives, the border policemen had moved out of the lane and
onto the road, where they were "stopping whomever we
want"-- we saw them check the ID of a young woman walking down
the hill.