Bethlehem Checkpoint and DCO at Etzion–Dec. 15,03Watchers:Y.S., N.S., S.S. We arrived at the Bethlehem checkpoint at about 14:30. There were very fewpeople or vehicles. We went on to the Etzion DCO and noticed that renovations had been made. Abribed wire fence now surrounds it and the entrance to the waiting chamberis behind the only bathroom that serves hundreds of people and smellsterrible. From the waiting hall to the windows there is a metal revolving fence thatis controlled by the soldiers who stand guard on the roof of the DCObuilding. When a person finishes at the window, the Palestinians call out tothe soldiers on the roof who then open the revolving door, allowing anotherperson to enter. The 2-3 meters between the revolving fence and the windowshave no roof and there are always people crowded into this space (luckily,yesterday it was only cold and not raining). The soldiers are protected asif each of the 50 waiting Palestinians intends to kill him. The people areangry about having to wait so long. There were two windows opened–one formagnetic cards, the other for permits. Later, both windows closed for atime. Later still, at about 16:30 three windows opened. There was a man there who had come from Nablus early in the morning who wasaccused of circumventing the line at noon and told that he will be punishedand will have to wait until 17:00 to get his documents. He was not allowedto explain himself. We called the moked in Jerusalem and the moked sent afax. Upon my request an officer came out, Moti, who solved the problem ofthe confiscated documents and returned them to the man from Nablus at about16:30 and was relatively friendly. He gave us the phone number of thespokeswoman of the Civil Authority:####. She is able to help solveproblems. We think it would help if numbers were distributed to the waitingPalestinians so as to make some order in the line of those waiting forservice at the windows. It would also be helpful if there was a speaker inthe waiting room so that those who are waiting could hear when their name iscalled out and not have to crowd in front of the revolving fence in a tinycage to hear the soldiers instructions. One of the Palestinians told us thatat the Hebron DCO there is no waiting.We left at about 17:00S.S.