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Al Nashshash, Beit Ummar, Bethlehem, Etzion DCL, Nabi Yunis, Mon 12.10.09, Morning

Observers: Mika G., Chaya O. (reporting)
Oct-12-2009
| Morning

07.10 – 08.00 AM, Etzion DCL:  during the fifty minutes that we were on Road No 60, which cuts Beit 'Inun into two parts, Mika made a video film, which we will send to the Web when it has been edited. 

There is a girls' school on the Western side of the road, and a boys' school is situated on the Eastern side, further into this part of Beit 'Inun. In the morning, crowds of people have to cross the road here : girls on their way to school, young women, and also students on their way to Hebron and people on their way to deal with their affairs. They all cross the road from East to West.

 

Fewer cross from West to East;  they are boys and young men, and people who are going to Sa'Ir and Bnei Naim and to the Eastern part of Beit 'Inun itself. The road is extremely busy. We counted the number who crossed during the 50 minutes that we were there : 383 crossed from the West, and 134 from the East.

 

We have already described how three years ago we warned about the danger of so many people having to cross the busy road here, and have warned many high-ranking officials about the situation. Nothing has changed here, except for a flashing warning light which worked for two weeks, then fell silent and lost its head.
 

 

08.30 AM, Beit Ummar:  we gave out information about police matters. Also we were told that a 20-year old youth from the village, who was shot two weeks ago, died from his wounds yesterday, and that his funeral would take place in the afternoon. In the evening I was told over the telephone that there were many soldiers in Beit Ummar in the afternoon, stones were thrown, and there was a disorderly demonstration.

 

09.00 AM, Nabi Yunis:  we gave advice and distributed forms concerning police matters.

 

10.00 AM,  Etzion DCL:  we met a taxi driver from Nachlin, who told us that at 11.30 at night some jeeps entered the village and the soldiers “went wild”. They arrested and took with them a young man, and also damaged his taxi. He had in his hand a note signed by lieutenant-colonel Arieh Hartzioni, which confirmed that a military vehicle hit the taxi “ during military action”. The taxi-driver was told to go to the policeman at the DCL. The policeman sent him to the police station at Etzion. From there he was sent back to the DCL. We asked Hannah Barag to investigate the matter, and it became apparent to her that the best way to handle the case would be for him to get a lawyer or to ask his insurance company for help. It is obvious that he is being “given the run-around”. 

In connection with the assistance provided by the police at the DCL – at 08.15 this morning we checked on the telephone that there is a policeman at the DCL today, but the printer there cannot print-out traffic violations. We passed-on this information to people who turned to us for help. Two of them who came to the policeman (only a few come to him), were told by the policeman to go home and telephone him during the day. This was after they had waited, their ID's had been taken and examined, but they didn't receive an immediate answer.

This custom is in force at other DCL's as well, and the problem with it is that the people don't receive a written answer, even though the police has a suitable standard form for this purpose. A telephoned answer may be only partial or not clear, and its impossible to prove what exactly was said.

 

10.45 AM, Al Nashshash: we gave advice on police matters.

 

  • A-Nashshash

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    • A-Nashshash
      Junction on Road 60 from leading to the southern outskirts of al-Khader, to Salomon pools and to Bethlehem. Until 2015, a blockade at the junction prevented the passage of vehicles from the south (from Hebron) to Bethlehem and from there to the north of the West Bank and vice versa, and a small market developed at the junction, with taxis serving both directions on two sides of the blockage. Until 2015, Members of MachsomWatch police reports team would come to the scene to receive and return  traffic violations reports for payment (possible  only in Israel).- from Palestinians without a entrance permit to Israel. There is usually no military or police supervision i n place.

  • 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.

  • 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   .
  • 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.
  • Nabi Yunis

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    • Nabi Yunis

      A meeting place at the junction of Route 60 and the road leading to the eastern entrance to Hebron.

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