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Bethlehem, Thu 9.7.09, Morning

Place: Bethlehem (300)
Observers: Rachel F., Nora B. (reporting)
Jul-09-2009
| Morning

 6:00 AM, Bethlechem – Rachel Crossing: three checking posts are open.. In a 4th booth there sits a sleeping soldier. When we address him, he says the post is closed, but after a couple of minutes he opens it. There are no long queues and people pass quickly. Palestinians tell us that on the other side, the checkpoint was opened on time and that also there are no queues, during the whole last month. At 7:00 there are no people left to pass.
  

One of the guards of the private guard company, speaks rudely to a woman and shouts at her to return home, even before she arrives at the checking post. We get closer but cannot manage to understand what the problem is. After about 5 minutes discussion, the soldier checks her documents (not finger impressions at all) and she is allowed to cross the border. We try to understand what happened with the guard: "We are trying to avoid terrorist attacks. All Arabs are terrorists. They do not like us…."

 

 

  

  • Bethlehem (300)

    See all reports for this place
    • Located adjacent to the Separation Wall ("Jerusalem Wrap") at the north entrance to Bethlehem, this checkpoint cuts off Bethlehem and the entire West Bank from East Jerusalem, with all the serious implications for health services, trade, education, work and the fabric of life. The checkpoint is manned by the Border police and private security companies. It is an extensive infrastructure barrier and is designated as a border terminal, open 24 hours a day for foreign tourists. Israeli passport holders are not allowed to pass to Bethlehem, and Palestinian residents are not allowed to enter Jerusalem, except those with entry permits to Israel and East Jerusalem residents. Israeli buses are allowed to travel to Bethlehem only through this checkpoint.
      The checkpoint, which demonstrated harsh conditions of crowding and extreme passage delays for years, started employing advanced electronic identification posts and has upgraded its gates' system as of the middle of 2019  - and conditions improved.
      Adjacent to the checkpoint, in an enclosure between high walls and another passage, is the historic Rachel's Tomb, which is now embedded within a concrete fortified building. It contains prayer and study complexes for Jews only, as well as a residential complex. updated  November 2019   .
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