Al Nashshash, Bethlehem, Etzion DCL, Mon 22.9.08, Morning
7:00 AM, Bethlehem Checkpoint 300: There were only 4 open posts. By each post there were 4-6 people. The Palestinians said that they had been waiting for over an hour. Anyone who had to get to work tried bypassing the line and made a mess, as one Palestinian said. They let only a few enter. At one inspection post was a soldier sitting with his feet on the table and a beverage from which he took sips, he hardly even took the trouble to signal the Palestinians with his hand to pass- a disgraceful sight.
7:45 AM, Nashshash : Two people came to see us with the usual police problems.
8:00 AM, Etzion DCL: About 70 people were waiting and on top of that there were about 20-30 women. The officer came out to hand out numbers to the women. He later handed them to the men that were waiting. He said that whoever got a number over 300 could go and return at 12:00. The numbers started at 200. The officer let all those with numbers beneath 240 to enter the waiting hall. The soldiers started working at 9:00. At 11:00 when we came back we learned that 50 people had entered. That indicates on a good pace, perhaps it was thanks to the presence of our friends Hana and Idit that the DCL worked more efficiently. There was much obscurity when it came to magnetic cards; they were given to every one even those who are refused passage. Those denied passage who received card weren't informed of the restriction on them. We once again asked that they inform people of their situation. On that day they did so. They told those who got a card what the situation was: denied by police or GSS.
8:40- 9:30 AM, Beit Omar : Our usual stop, some people came asking for help.
9:45 AM, Nabi Unis : People came to us with the usual problems.
10:30 AM We headed back to the Etzion DCL as specified above.
11:15 AM, Biter Checkpoint: It was very quiet.
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.
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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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