Al Khadr, Bethlehem, Fri 19.11.10, Morning
Bethlehem – Checkpoint 300: two soldiers at two checking booths, i.e. four crossing positions. No line, and people cross relatively fast. It turns out that the second booth is manned by "Maor", if that indeed is his name, the soldier about whom we complained two weeks ago. He's unchanged: feet up, leaning back nonchalantly, gesturing with his hand to indicate who crosses and who doesn't.
He smiles when he sees me, then laughs with the female soldier who's with him.
We did not witness, as we did last time, his rejection of a man because he lacked a magnetic card, but his attitude remains insufferable.
In the first booth, the female soldier insists on getting confirmation from the computer, in addition to the permit and magnetic card, also by placing the hand correctly. The cases of Palestinians (adults with permits) failing to place their hand correctly and having to repeat the action again and again, are frequent.
Two children were turned back because their parents displayed work permits.
El-Hader: in El-Hader we sign up a Palestinian who wishes to obtain a cancellation of his refusal for a permit. He has a family to support. He's proud of his children who are excellent students. He asks anxiously whether such cancellations are successfully repealed. He tells us he has taken a loan from a friend to pay part of a lawyer's fee. These days are particularly difficult because it's a holiday, and the children must be given a chance to enjoy it.
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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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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