Abu-Dis

Observers: R.H., J. W., R.
W.

We arrived at the pishpash at about 2:15. There was a huge traffic
jam, so we decided to take the side road down to the gas station.
Midway, we found two boulders blocking the road. We were told that
they were recently placed there by the army. They served absolutely
no purpose, except to harrass the local population, block passage,
and increase the traffic confusion at the pishpash.

We drove up toward the hotel, and saw just two border police
randomly checking documents near the gas station. From the hotel,
it was possible to see bulldozers toward the south in the area of
the two homes at the top of the hill where the wall will be
built.

We doubled back to the pishpash, climbed the wall, and found our
driver, A., waiting for us. En route to the container, we detoured
to photograph the rapidly progressing 8 meter wall being built
between Azariah and A Tur. Then, we went to the container. En
route, we saw a convoy of 9 border police jeeps heading in our
direction. A. told us that it must have been a commander. He said
that the higher ups don't cause them any problems. It's the regular
border police who make things difficult.

There was almost no backup of traffic. Few pedestrians. All
vehicles, taxis, private, buses, and trucks moving in both
directions with cursory checks.

A. took us back to his home to meet his beautiful wife, three
little sons, his mother, father, and brother. To all, he told the
story of how we help people at the container.

A generally quiet, uneventful watch.