Abu Dis, Container (Wadi Nar), Tue 30.12.08, Afternoon
Share:
Observers:
Julia W., Rina H., Rahel W. (reporting)
Dec-30-2008
|
Afternoon
Despite the heavy presence of border police throughout the city since the outbreak of hostilities in Gaza, there were no patrols at the entry to Azariah and life seemed to be going on there as usual.
When we arrived at Wadi Nar at about 2;00 p.m., we saw 13 soldiers at the checkpoint, and there were obviously more at the pillbox. There was considerable traffic, but it moved quite smoothly.
At about 2:45, there was a change of patrols and the new team were busy checking almost every vehicle and long lines of traffic built up. Interestingly enough (and inexplicably), the checks were more thorough of vehicles heading toward Bethlehem than those coming north. Within minutes, three transits were pulled over and the i.d.'s were taken from some of the passengers, however all were returned within 15 minutes.
One vehicle heading toward Bethlehem stopped and two passengers got out -- a man and a woman. Almost immediately, soldiers came over to them, ordered them back into the van and the van was made to drive into the area near the pillbox. The two passengers (the man had his hands in handcuffs behind his back) and the driver were led into the enclosed area. After about a half hour, the three were allowed to leave and crossed back into the area near the shop.
However, the van was still there and it was inspected several times, including once by a blue police patrol that was obviously called in to check it out. It was still there when we left although those in it had been allowed to leave.
During this same period of time, a passenger in a transit heading north from Bethlehem obviously said something objectionable to the inspecting soldier who made him get out of the transit and he too was led into the closed area near the pillbox. We were concerned that he was going to be mistreated because the soldier was angrily shouting at him and was clearly agitated, but we were glad to see him emerge after about 20 minutes apparently unharmed.
We asked one of the soldiers about pedestrian traffic and were told that pedestrians -- all the hundreds of workers-- could no longer pass through the checkpoint on foot, and sure enough, as the workers started returning, they boarded transits and went through the checkpoint in them.
Traffic was very, very heavy. After the initial enthusiasm of the new crew on patrol for checking each and every vehicle, the checks lightened up and traffic moved more quickly.