Betlehem – Checkpoint 300:  many workers are crowding two sides of the road waiting for transportation. Others, who are afraid to be late, come out running and join the others who are waiting. Inside five windows are active. The lines are very long. People come out with angry facial expressions Complain that ‘it is not good’. They waited for the opening hour from 04:30. One of the Eucumenicals who arrived from Bethlehem told us that some 1,500 persons were waiting. They opened at 05:00, but let only few people in and the line moved very slowly. The Eucumenicals contacted the humanitarian desk several times.The lines shortened and by 07:30 most people had passed.

07:40 AM, Al Nashshash:  nobody contacted us.

08:05 AM, Etzion DCL:  some twelve people wait in the waiting area. Two young women, who according to their dress are Christian, are waiting next to the door. They tell that they have an invitation to come to the American Consulate in Jerusalem, in order to receive a visa and hey want to receive today an entry permit for Jerusalem. At 08:10 they allow the women to enter and thereafter the men.A young man came forward to us and asked after Chana who according to him spoke to him and agreed to deal with his problem. We called Chana.

08:45 AM, Nabi Yunis:  a young man tells that he tried several times to get a permit to work in Israel but he did not succeed. He complains bitterly and at length. Two elderly men who were sitting nearby told us that they are members of an organization for citizen’s rights and showed an address in Arabic. We could not find out what exactly they are doing, since they did not speak any Hebrew or English.