Bethlehem, Al Khader, Ezyon, Sunday, August 14, AMObservers: Sylvia P, Ofra B, Chana A (reporting)6:50 Bethlehem CP 300: Closure, barely a soul around. The torn flag was replaced by a new one (someone reads our reports!) There were some five or six detainees, one of them was Ata from Wallaje, as we later found out (of course we could not reach them to talk to them). Ata calls later and says he could not get into Jerusalem although he has a work permit. His brother got through, but he did not. He was told that Wallaje people cannot leave their village, but when we called Tal Shikma, he said this was nonsense. What is the truth?7:10 Al Khader: Lots of activity. Many of the yellow taxi-minibuses were of the latest vintage, 2005. They shine in their newness and are a strange contrast to the downcast mood of their drivers and passengers. We meet some men who we write letters for and have them sign.8:20 Etsyon DCO. When we come into the shed, there are only about 10 people, but after a short while there are 30-40 or even more. People are called to the window, but don’t come back. They have to wait: it seems the laminating machine is out of order. We call Azhar and he asks if we can help him! In all of the army there are only a few laminating machines to go around and they are mostly out of order, we are told by a reliable source. Maybe MachsomWatch can donate a few? They are really low-tech. Anyhow, the problem seems to get solved after a while.A few men again approach us with their problem of Shabak refused (two are from Nahalin). We write the petitions in Hebrew and have them sign.Our Hebron lawyer, Fadel, is late today, but catches us as we leave, at 10:30. We are getting friendly with him. He is a graduate of a Moscow university. We get the usual envelope from him to send to Lothstein.