Abu Dis, Container (Wadi Nar), Ras Abu Sbitan (Olive Terminal), Sheikh Saed, Wed 28.5.08, Morning

Share:
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Email
Observers: 
Anat T., Tamar L., Shira V. (reporting)
May-28-2008
|
Morning

07:00 Sheikh Saed

There is a short line of grown ups and children in front of the checkpoint. It is released within a few minutes. An older woman, an inhabitant of the neighborhood (we saw here ID), who has difficulties in walking, is trying to convince the BP commander of the checkppoint to let her go through. She tells him in Arabic (which he did not understand) that she is sick and has to see a doctor. We crossed the checkpoint towards Sheikh Saed and spoke with her. She told us that she has stomack and feet problems. We tried to talk with the man in charge in the place, and we agreed that his commander will arrive at the place and will decide whether or not let her go through.

While waiting for the commander to come, the woman was talking with other Palestinians and told them about her medical problems. In addition she said that she has to visit her son in a hospital in Jerusalem. Her husband was beside her. After a while we tried to find out what happens. We found out that the commander was there, and after he spoke with the with the man in charge of the checkpoint he refused to let her through. We think that, at least, he had to see the woman's condition before he made his decision, only according to his talk with the man responsible for the checkpoint.

We tried to connect with the humanitarian center, and started making phone calls, in order to connect them with the person responsible for the checkpoint.
Among others we got to the advanced command post of the Jerusalem seperation barrier.

 
Finally the man in charge of the checkpoint took initiative and contacted E. at the DCO, and he did not approve of the woman going through Sheikh Saed and ssent her to Zeitim DCO. In the meanwhile she told us that the day before she had waited at the checkpoint, from morning till night, hoping to go through.  

 
There was also a younger woman who said that a scorpion had stung her, and showed a very swallen finger. We sent her to the BP men, who brought the paramedic. She claimed that this does not look like a scorpion bite, and therefor she does not let the woman go through. While we were trying to contact Dahlia Bassi,  the woman had already given up and went home, and said angrily that "She will just sit at home until she dies".

 
08:50 Boeba (the pishpash)

We saw a lorry by the checkpoint, and stopped to find out what happens. The soldiers explained to us that they are busy with installing/fixing (I don't remember what) the projectors for the night light.

 
09:00 Zeitim passge

Two policemen, Y. and G. were standing below the road coming up into the checkpoint in order to write driving tickets. We talked with them for a while.

 
09:15 the entrance into Ezariye, near Ma'ale Adumim

We stopped when we saw BP Jeeps, with a soldier who stood on a higher spot, near by, his weapon pulled up, and on the sidewalk there was a civilian with his weapon pulled out too. They explained to us that it is a GSS operation, and we did see a Palestinian who was arrested and released with a white note. When we returned, half an hour later, the Jeeps were not there any more.

 
09:25 Wadi Nar

The checkpoint was pretty empty. A van that was detained a few minutes before we arrived, according to the passengers, was released quickly. The driver was called through a loudspeaker to collect the passposts from the pillbox.