Bethlehem. Tuesday PM, 17.10.2006 Observers: Ruth O. and Ilana D. (reporting) From 1:30 till 4:45 PMWe had to deliver a paid request of the teacher whose son in the Damon Prison had wanted to deduct a third of his sentence for good behavior. Unfortunately the 140 Shekel for the request had gone down the drain – he was refused. The cab drivers told us that soldiers had been harassing them for the past few Friday-mornings, blocking the exit of the taxis (they begged us to come and see for ourselves). They were told to provide the numbers of the jeeps. They also complainede about long hold-ups (of two hours and more) for not apparent reason at the Etzion CP. In Beit Ummar we delivered the regular goodies for Yvonne and were given a crate of grapes and tomatoes. Some youngsters crowded around us and we felt very uncomfortable entering Issa’s grocery store where Mohammed had told us to go. The blue police was checking cars at the Etzion CP with the help of soldiers. An unfriendly soldiers told us to move our car to the parking lot across the road. We had parked at a spot far away where it was not blocking traffic. Another even more antagonist soldier (Yoni M.) told us to move away and not bother him and the other soldiers. We had not approached anyone yet at this point. One of the soldiers claimed that because of us (and the Oslo Accords) the situation has deteriorated. This CP which beforehand had been manned by easygoing friendly soldiers, has suddenly become a frightening violent place which oozes hostility.We were holding our breath while entering the DCL, but there was no smell!!!! Someone must have actually cleaned the toilets, what a relief! There were not many people and most were immediately let in. A settler had come to help a ‘friend’ obtain a magnetic card. He agreed to some of our points, but thought that Palestinians should not be assisting in the construction of settlements, if they were opposed to them. The fact that they were hungry and needed to provide for their families, didn’t convince him. He agreed with us that the CP’s could be the cause of additional resentment. The people with whom we had made an appointment alst week didn’t turn up.We went up to Beit Jalla to get a bird eye’s view of the almost completed Tunnel Terminal – the DCO CP is not manned and lots of cars passed unhindered in both directions.Beyond Rachel’s Terminal we saw that behind the gate to Rachel’s Tomb a new piece of wall blocks any view of some of the houses in Bethlehem. People passed quickly in both directions and all told us to come in the morning. This morning again people had had to wait from 6:00 till 9:00 AM before being able to get to work. A Head Nurse told us that her blood pressure had risen just because of the lines in the morning. Please come and see for yourselves during the early morning hours, she begged us.