'Anata, Abu Dis, Container (Wadi Nar), Mon 24.3.08, Morning

6:45  we arrive at Anatta,  ,where the usual  traffic  is at its best.  Only the reception we get this week,  as compared to last,  is much less  civilized.  Some arrogant  sergeant from the B.P  is trying to shove us away.  We do not cooperate,  just move a few meters and ignore him.  The atmosphere  is a bit tense, and we do not want to  aggrevate it  , in order not to hurt the pupils and  workers who come through.

 

We stay there for about 45 min.  and move on to Wadi Na'ar. 

There we are also greeted by a rather arrogant young officer  and  a line of detained buses full of pupils from  Hebron  and Beth Lechem  who are on a day trip  to Jericho. 

I speak to the drivers.  It is a very hot day  , already at 8 in the morning  and some of them are being kept ther for over an hour while their  ID  cards are being checked.  It is the teenagers who are being detained .  Buses with young children  , only the teachers are being checked. 

The procedure takes a very long time  and  their is a  tension  , caused by the cocky officer  that  is very apparent. 

The long lines of  other cars  are finaly let through  and things start moving  in all directions.  For the kids it was not a very pleasent way to start a day of  fun.  When I asked the  drivers or teachers if they are not going to Ramalla,  they said  it was too expensive ,  and that they could only afford  to go to Jericho.  I found that interesting.