Silwan, Mon 28.4.08, Morning
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Observers:
Ronnee J., Yael J. (reporting)
Apr-28-2008
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Morning
General situation:
Chol ha moed Pessach, hot with more than 37 degrees Celsius. All lanes of roads or streets to the Old City are blocked by the police. In and around the Old City any private traffic seemed to be forbidden. So we could reach Silwan only by cab with an Arab driver and by travelling through Abu Tor and the Kidron valley.
We arrived at the corner of Maaleh haShalom and the main road coming from Abu Tor at 9:45 a.m. There was not much traffic at this time. The Palestinian Daud, who advised us where to stand, told us that today in the early morning the inhabitants of Silwan were not allowed to use the main road of Silwan and the street Maaleh haShalom in any direction even if they were given special permits for driving by the police..
When we came two police officers let pass all the cars from Silwan in the direction ofthe Mount of Olives without checking. Driving in the opposite direction they did not allow at the beginning. About 10:40 a.m. they let some Israelis pass. About 11 a.m. more Israelis came and a long row of Egged buses got parked on the side of the Old City wall. Some young men with kippa sruga set a table, offering the public water and guided tours of David's city.
About 11:30 a.m. we started moving to other places. In the direction to the Mount of Olives everything seemed to be quiet. So we left to the the corner of the next street (direction to the Wailing Wall) from Silwan ending in Maaleh haShalom. There, 4 Arab taxi drivers were complaining that some Israelis were passing the blocked lanes by pushing away the plastic blocks. As Arabs they could not do such a thing. A few minutes later the street into Silwan got closed for everybody.
At 11:40 a.m. we left with one of the Egged buses, surrounded by all the Ultra Orthodox coming from the Western wall.