Bethlehem. Tuesday PM, 3.10.2006Observers: Ruth O. and Ilana D. (reporting) From 1:30 till 5:00 PMNear the Southern entrance to Al Aroub a brand new (manned) pillbox has been erected. If we hadn’t stopped near the grocery store, we would not have noticed the three soldiers with drawn rifles amidst a group of young boys in the ally. Their commander came up to us and explained that a stolen car had been caught and that the police was on its way. He told us that ‘sometimes’ shots are fired from stolen cars, thus explaining the behavior of the soldiers. He also said that the children often throw stones at them. Meanwhile the children were crowding around us. He asked us politely to leave the kids alone because our presence might incite them. We left.There were many more cars than usual in the parking lot of the Etzion DCL. The weather was cool and an autumn breeze spread the stench from the toilets all over the place. Before we entered a man who had applied numerous times in the last four years approached us. Each time he had paid 89 Sh. just to be told again that he was still refused on security grounds. Sylvia knows the case. He is married to a Jerusalemite who is expecting their second child and he cannot visit them. The father of a paraplegic 20-year old in possession of a letter from Shaarei Zedek was refused and told to bring another letter. We contacted Dalia Bassa on her cell phone and were told that he should call her in the morning when she would be in her office. A man, married for sixteen years, is unable to get a work permit because he is childless. Since he cannot earn a living he is unable to pay for fertility treatments. A 65-year old Christian with a pacemaker is unable to stand in line and push to get a magnetic card. He too is refused on security grounds and will be in touch with Sylvia. We completed forms for some more men who have been refused. One of them has a wife in East Jerusalem and owns property in Silwan which he cannot reach. Two men from Wadi Furiq they told us that in their entire village of 1000 people there is not a single person with a work permit. An organized list of all people waiting had been prepared and at around 4:00 PM most were let in. An accident had occurred at the Etzion roundabout and police were measuring and stopping traffic. The earthmoving near Al Khader is continuing apace and the terminal underneath Beith Jalla is reaching completion. In Al Nashash hordes of workers were rushing to get home before the end of the fast. At the Rachel Terminal busloads of workers were hurrying to get home. Only one station was manned by a girl, but she seemed to be able to cope. Two excited young girl-students came up to us and related that they and some boys, all students in Bethlehem in possession of blue Id cards had been held up two weeks ago by the Border Police at the Gilo CP. They had been detained until midnight and were beaten. One of them had been hospitalized. One had her finger broken and one his shoulder dislocated. When they went to the Etzion Police station they were told that their lives would be made miserable on a daily basis if they were to file a complaint. They come home each day to Jerusalem from the Bethlehem University. Apparently their names are now ‘blacklisted’ at the Rachel CP, because often they are told to wait for an hour. They claimed that only because of our presence, they were let through immediately. We took their tel. number and will discuss how we can help them.