Bethlehem, El Khader, Gush Etzion DCO (Matak)Y.S., Sh., N.S.We arrived at the Bethlehem checkpoint at about 2:30. It was quiet without too much traffic, but the traffic that was there was moving very slowly. There were no detainees. However, we found out that no merchandise of any sort except marble can be transported OUT of Bethlehem almost always. WE met a truck driver who wanted to go into Bethlehem to bring something out, he wasn’t sure he would be let in (he was from Jerusalem) and indeed, he wasn’t. In addition, the goods that are transported into Bethlehem are also severely limited and there doesn’t seem to be any particular logic to it. In El Khader we met a fellow who delivers chocolate and wine to shops in Bethlehem who was not allowed into Bethlehem to do it. We were thanked by a driver of a UN mini bus for helping to speed up the line, although who knows if we really did. Perhaps we can look into this limitation of their commercial activity as it is clear that their economic activity is being sabotaged.In El Khader there was lots of traffic and people were in a good mood because there have not been any soldiers there for the whole week. We heard a complaint from a fellow from Deheshe about the fact that they did not get copies of the Geneva Agreement mailed to them as promised. If we spoke to someone for more than one minuet, the anger and pain about the usual harassment and brutality came up. One nice man expressed a concern for our safety saying that speaking Hebrew was not a good idea in this totally Palestinian place, as “who knows what crazy person might be hanging around”. One of the vendors in the impromptu market responded to a question with great suspicion, saying that he can’t be sure we are not secret service agents. Another, who was selling corn, said that he used to earn 10000 shekel a month as a chef in a hotel in Jerusalem. A sociology professor from Bir Ziet trudged along with his family from one bus to another, complaining about the fact that he couldn’t use his car (they won’t let it though the checkpoints).We drove on to Etzion Matak (DCL is what they have written on the sign to it) and arrived there at about 4:30. This was a very interesting and satisfying experience. We arrived at the waiting room that had maybe 50 people in it (all men except for one woman). The waiting room has an outside staircase leading to another building that has heavy guardrails arranged for lines that lead to five windows. Out of these only two were opened and these would close frequently. Most of the people just sat in the waiting room. They told us that they were there from very early in the morning, some as early as 5am and we were told that people sometimes sleep there. At first they didn’t know what we were doing there and reluctant to answer our questions, but as soon as they saw that we were active in trying to help them move their matters along, they enthusiastically crowded around us and told us their tales. We stood next to the people at the windows and asked questions, which the soldiers answered with irritation. We also translated, told the soldiers at the windows when they couldn’t be heard or understood and just nagged. We had the feeling that we were not really helping, although they at least didn’t shut the windows.Our big break came when an officer showed up in the waiting room to post a notice that the place would be closed tomorrow. The people crowded around him and Yael pounced on him and cornered him with questions and requests. He asked her to speak to him outside and she went out with him with a crowd of people trailing behind. There were long negotiations but finally he did help arrange papers for a father with a son who suffers from cancer and needs a pass to go to hospital for treatment for his son. Usually this man gets a one day pass and then when he has to go again, he has to devote days to getting another one, this officer agreed that he should get a longer pass and he got one for three months. A woman needed to go to hospital for medical treatment and she also got her pass. There were other passes arranged which I didn’t follow because while Yael was dealing with this officer (whose name and telephone number I shall have Yael post). Meanwhile I hung around the windows and Sholmit in the waiting room with the other people, trying to understand their situation and help at the windows. AT one window was a hysterical and seemingly incompetent young woman soldier who mainly screamed at everybody and rarely produced the documents necessary. At the other window was what appeared to be a Russian soldier who was actually trying to do his job and even knew some words in Arabic. It was very obvious that our presence and the positive response of the officer to us made a HUGE difference in their willingness to do the work. Both of these soldiers told us that they are overworked soldiers who have other things to do, but they did not shut their windows until 5:30 and not an hour earlier as we expected.The soldiers said that they will not be issuing any magnetic cards because of some problem with the computer and they told everybody who wanted one to go home and come back tomorrow. When the officer arrived and heard this, we heard him say to them that it is not possible that the computer was down for four hours. It was after this that they had started working. We met a few people who said that they used to be able to get magnetic cards and that their right for this was revoked for no reason they can understand. One fellow said that his whole family lost their right for a magnetic card. I called the moked about this and was told that they don’t deal with this and that the people should consult a lawyer. They come to this place often with a slip they received which says that they are requesting that their “refusal” (Isoor) be removed. Perhaps this is also a problem we should try to learn about. Does anybody know more about this?There was great excitement and appreciation of our efforts among the Palestinians who were waiting there. They said that our presence was a great help. Many people who were there will have to come again, and many of the answers they received were frustrating and infuriating, but they all thanked us profusely, even if they didn’t get what they have been waiting for all day. Our presence there seemed to make a difference. We left feeling that we had done some good. It seems a good idea to have watchers there whenever we can. Perhaps an hour of the shift could be devoted to this.AT the Etzion checkpoint there is now an airforce group and they seemed friendly and efficient, as there were no lines and we didn’t see any detainees, although we only drove by and spoke to them briefly.