Al Khadr, Beit Ummar, Bethlehem (300), Etzion DCL, Halhul, Nabi Yunis, Mon 9.1.12, Morning
7.30 am. Entrance to Al Khadr: A man from ElArub who owes an overdue fine. Advised to go to Etzion.
8.08 am, Etzion DCL: no cars, but about 20 men were entering the building which apparently had just opened. They were admitted quite soon. Most came for magnetic cards but two were for the police. They did not know why they were refused entry. The policeman said the computer was down just at that moment but he would get back to us with the answers, so we kept in touch with the two men. It turned out that one was not refused by the police, so probably by Security. The other was completely clear! Was it just an arbitrary act on the part of a soldier at a checkpoint?
8.40 am, Beit Ummar: we had to attend a prearranged meeting to collect documents.
9.00 am, Halhul – northern entrance: we met a man about payment of an old traffic fine.
9.15 am, Nabi Yunis: A prearranged meeting for signing of power of attorney and payment. Referred to Sylvia a man refused entry by Security.
During the morning we had two cases of men who had been given provisional sentences by the Court, and could not understand why they were nevertheless being refused an entry permit for an extended period. We had to explain that the police do this independently of the court decision – just the fact that they had been arrested made them subject to refusal of entry. In both cases, the men wanted to approach lawyers for help. We arranged to clarify the situation and keep in touch. There is clearly such scope for unscrupulous lawyers to exploit poor folks’ ignorance. The bureaucracy is truly frightful – it is difficult enough to understand the regulations and the abundant official documents are in Hebrew!
Al-Khader
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Al-Khadr served as transit from Bethlehem to Route 60. A dirt mound prevent vehicular traffic from and to Bethlehem from the west. A small market developed there. Taxi ranks were on both sides of the obstruction. It was replaced by a similar obstruction at Al Nashash which has recently been removed and thus the way from Bethlehem to Hebron through Route 60 is now free.
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Beit Ummar
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Beit Ummar
The Gush Etzion-Hebron road - which is the main axis of the southern Hebron Mountains - passes through the boundaries of the village. Many incidents of stone throwing occurred on this section of road. There is a checkpoint at the entrance to the village.
In March 2006, a 25-dunam land seizure order was issued around the settlement for the purpose of establishing a "special security area" (SHBM) and a warning fence around the nearby settlement, Carmei Tzur. In April 2019, 401 dunams of the land of the villages of Beit Omer and Halhul were expropriated for the purpose of paving a road that bypasses the house of Omer to the east. Demonstrations are held by the villagers against the seizure of land with the participation of Palestinian, Israeli and international activists.
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Bethlehem (300)
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Located adjacent to the Separation Wall ("Jerusalem Wrap") at the north entrance to Bethlehem, this checkpoint cuts off Bethlehem and the entire West Bank from East Jerusalem, with all the serious implications for health services, trade, education, work and the fabric of life. The checkpoint is manned by the Border police and private security companies. It is an extensive infrastructure barrier and is designated as a border terminal, open 24 hours a day for foreign tourists. Israeli passport holders are not allowed to pass to Bethlehem, and Palestinian residents are not allowed to enter Jerusalem, except those with entry permits to Israel and East Jerusalem residents. Israeli buses are allowed to travel to Bethlehem only through this checkpoint.The checkpoint, which demonstrated harsh conditions of crowding and extreme passage delays for years, started employing advanced electronic identification posts and has upgraded its gates' system as of the middle of 2019 - and conditions improved.Adjacent to the checkpoint, in an enclosure between high walls and another passage, is the historic Rachel's Tomb, which is now embedded within a concrete fortified building. It contains prayer and study complexes for Jews only, as well as a residential complex. updated November 2019 .
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Etzion DCO
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serves residents of Bethlehem and surrounding villages who need magnetic cards, work permits for Israel, permits for one-time entry for religious or health reasons, various police permits, etc.
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Halhul-Hebron Bridge
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Generally allows free flowing traffic, except for sudden checks by soldiers stationed permanently in the pillbox, on Route 35 in the southern West Bank.
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Nabi Yunis
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Nabi YunisA meeting place at the junction of Route 60 and the road leading to the eastern entrance to Hebron.
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