Abu-Dis

Participants: M.Z., R.M-F., O. M., Philip (taking photographs),
Dana P (a

guest).

Main issues in this report:

1) New commander in Border Police (MAGAV): Amin Hasan replaces
Fadi. 2) No special events in Sawahre checkpoint, good news
regarding the residents

in the outlying houses.

3) We saw MAGAV soldiers stopping cars and checking Palestinians in
two

different places in Abu Dis.

New MAGAV commander

We met Amin Hasan in a surprise checkpoint (mahsom peta in Hebrew)
on the

eastern side of the wall in Abu Dis, not far from the mosque. He
said he’s now

responsible in Abu Dis, Sawahre and the area up to Sawahre
checkpoint. He

replaces Fadi, and serves under Habib Edri.

He talked to us nicely, gave us his number and said we can call
about problems

in his area:

Sawahre - the residents in the outlying houses

We met Atalla and two other men who live in the outlying houses.
They showed

us that the barbed wire fence around the checkpoint has been moved
closer to

the compound, so that a new path is created on the left side of the

checkpoint. He also said that a tractor has already been there,
starting to

dig in order to turn this path into a road that cars can drive on,
however the

tractor had to stop working on account of the rain. (see previous
reports –

Abu Dis 28/11 and earlier)

They all thanked us a lot for the significant help, mainly for the
arbitration

(tivuch in Hebrew) with Eldad.

Sawahre checkpoint

No special events, the traffic was low. People and cars pass
through, some

were asked to give their IDs for check. Waiting time was no longer
than 15 min.

There were a lot of soldiers in the checkpoint, more than the
usual. (maybe

10, with two MAGAV jeeps).

We were at the checkpoint between 9:40-11:15
(approx.)

Surprise checkpoints

1.On our way from the checkpoint back to Abu Dis we saw a surprise
checkpoint.

MAGAV soldiers took the IDs from about 12 people who were standing
at the side

waiting for their IDs. We talked to the commander Amin Hasan (see
above), and

about 20 min after we’ve arrived they got their IDs back. They told
us they

had been waiting for 1-2 hours. (11:30)

2.We saw yet another surprise checkpoint on the western side of the
wall,

between Abu Dis to Har Hazeytim. The soldiers were checking the
passengers of

a taxi. We didn’t stop to investigate. (12:00)

MAGAV soldiers we’ve seen

-At the former gate (pishpash) we saw two soldiers. One was
drinking coffee

and talking with the Palestinians. Unbelievable. People passed the
wall

without problems (about 9:20)

-Next to the hotel we saw two soldiers, watching at the wall below
them and

observing the people climbing it (about 9:30). They were no longer
there at

noon.

-At Sawahre checkpoint there were about 10, as mentioned
above.

-Two surprise checkpoints – as mentioned above.

Road blocking

-Abu Dis: the pass behind the hotel was blocked for vehicles – it
is now

possible to go through only by foot.

-We went down to see the very tall wall in Sawahre on the road that
goes down

into the valley towards the western part of Sawahr and Jebel
Mukaber. The road

is blocked for cars. No one in left in the small tent next to the
road.

-A very wide hole was dug next to the taxi point, at the east side
of the

wall. Its purpose isn’t clear.