Bethlehem , Checkpoint 300, El Khader and the DCO, 8.09.2005 AMObservers: Hanna, I., Neta, A. (Reporters)Checkpoint 300 Very few vehicles. The Border Patrol Police officers say that if a person possess a passage permit, then he passes the checkpoint. There is one case in which a Palestinian has a Supreme Court Justice permit, since he was on the wrong side of the separation fence.The Border Patrol and the Army Police do not always know how to deal with such cases, and although the person has the written decision of the Supreme Court in hand, they nevertheless detain him. With our intervention, they release him and he passes. By the way , in such cases, it is best to turn to the army Command Center where they know the rules and procedures regarding such cases.Some illegal workers are standing in the olive grove, probably waiting interrogation. We didn’t manage to make contact with them. Tal Sh, who was the Platoon Commander of checkpoint 300 is no longer there. He is now responsible for the platoon in the Old City of Jerusalem and it’s worthwhile to contact him if observers happen to be in the area and need assistance.The new Platoon Commander of Checkpoint 300 is Einad.El Khadr People say that in the last little while, there have not been any problems other than the long way which they must go to reach Ramallah – a journey that would take, in normal times, half an hour, now takes an hour and a half, while passing 3 or 4 checkpoints on the way. DCO Checkpoint in Beit Jalla Not manned and the vehicles pass through freely. We are told that only in the evening is this checkpoint manned. Because of personal reasons, we did not visit the DCO in Etzion.