Bethlehem checkpoint and Rachel’s Tomb, Olive checkpoint (via South American Highway and Abu Dis), Anata and Shuafat road (via Apartheid Highway 4370)

7:15 Rachel’s Tomb and the Bethlehem checkpoint

Two children on vacation ride back and forth on bicycles near Rachel’s tomb. Suspicious looks at us indicate that they already know the “nemesis” from a young age. Rachel’s tomb always amazes us with its ugliness – the antithesis of the pastoral image from before 1967. Alejandra was also amazed when we showed her what was there before the dome building of the tomb was covered with rectangular concrete blocks. It’s always full of men, girls and women here. We went to see what was happening in the small settlement that is attached to the yeshiva “Veshavu Banim Ligvulam”. Indeed, there is a new playground and buildings for new tenants. If there were a court for architects who built monsters,  they would sentence the architect of the complex to many prison terms and a ban on practicing the profession.

There is not much traffic at checkpoint 300. A long line of men sit and wait for someone offer them work probably in the building trade . It is very depressing. You see men aged 30-40 with  an education, who could work in a more suitable profession. They have a 15-day hope (the measure before they despair) of finding an employer.

Inside the checkpoint, only one or two posts are active – the furthest from the opening. It’s not Sunday. Again, it is surprising how many soldiers from different units are needed to man a checkpoint. It seems that there are at least eight here on the Israeli side. And that’s after all the checks… and really, immediately two policemen/police officers jump towards us and want to explain to us why we’re not allowed to stand here. Dangerous. I’m getting angry (because of the trauma of last time) and it’s a shame, because this police officer in charge is a nice man who wants to talk and not to push or threaten, is straight and understanding. He also calms down a female soldier who freaked out and screamed hysterically at two young guys who had already passed by. He talked to them and sent them on their way.

By the way, in Natanya’s mouth, this question turns into a sad joke as we also turn into at the entrance of the Shuafat refugee camp – how many soldiers are needed to block or move Palestinians who live in the territories at the checkpoint? We count a lot of bored soldiers waiting for violent action. Alejandra calls our attention to the drawn guns which we no longer notice.

Descending through Har Homah – where (opposite the light rail that is being lazily built) a new settlement project is also being prepared which will create a continuum between the neighborhood and Givat Hamatos (therefore, from Jerusalem, an updated map of Jerusalem 2022 by Ir Amim). Turn to the new American road and go up the old American road to Abu Dis and the olive checkpoint on the hill. A pedestrian is unable to reach the city of Jerusalem from this main checkpoint; far and steep.

Before nine in the morning we arrived at the olive checkpoint. At such an hour there should not have been any pressing problems. We moved to the Palestinian side. We met a disabled girl and her parents from Jericho on the way to hospitalization in Makassed. We tried to ring the bell to open the humanitarian door to the passage. No reply. There is no one in the booth inside the gate; the shouting didn’t help either.

The overloaded family barely made it through the outdoor carousels. There was a small queue at the checkpoint – about 10 people. Again we tried to ring the bell that should be connected to the loudspeaker at the checkpoint. We also tried the bells in the nearby closed position. We tried to shout. We wanted them to open the door for the disabled girl and her parents carrying the suitcase and bags instead of the turnstile. There is no voice and no answer.

We called the northern army headquarters and asked them to contact the checkpoint soldiers, and give them the request. They said they had nothing to do with the checkpoint. We asked them to call any commander who was located and ask him to go over and see what was going on. They said they couldn’t and that we should call the humanitarian center. We called, even though we know they don’t answer there. And there really was a voice message referring to registering for the application to request permits.

Meanwhile the line grew and grew and became crowded. A woman with a tiny baby was also stuck in it. The super slow pace of the transfer continues. Everything was conducted by yelling from the stand to the subjects, because there is no loudspeaker, and we cannot hear each other.

The disabled girl and her parents again barely passed the narrow carousel because they did not want to wait. We were asked to open the suitcase on the floor in front of the stand. Shouting explanations and instructions again.

In the end, we also passed by and saw a young and nervous female examiner, and next to her was a guy sitting with his phone. Not involved, nothing moves him, just his phone. We argued and said that it is impossible to continue working shouting without a connecting speaker, and it’s a shame that disabled and sick people are transported like this.

Suddenly one of the responsible police officers appeared out of nowhere. In one second he connected the plug of the speaker, and decided to open another position. He explained that some soldiers were sick and that someone had taken a break without notice. He said that we ruined the day for the female soldier in the post and she is angry. We were sorry, but we said she ruined the days of the Palestinians and there was not a shred of empathy in her behaviour.  

We asked for the phone number of the checkpoint commander, or at least his second in command. But of course were answered in the negative. So will things continue like this?

We asked to file a complaint and emphasized that the Olive checkpoint had once been  an example of efficient and empathetic conduct. Now, when the medical center is also closed, it looks neglected and in poor operation. We again asked for the phone number of someone senior who can be called if there are problems.

From there we went to Anata and the Shuafat refugee camp. Kamal, the driver, confirmed to us what his wife relayed on WhatsApp – that there were riots and violence two days ago during the high school graduation celebrations. Soldiers entered in large numbers, sprayed gas and arrested young people who shot fireworks and explosives. The morning is quiet. There are no traffic jams. The shops are closed for the time being and the main road is completely destroyed – under the responsibility of the Jerusalem Municipality?