Al Nashshash, Bethlehem, Etzion DCL, Wed 17.9.08, Morning
We set to meet three people to help them with a legal case. One of them arrived and as we waited for the other two for a long while we left.
Rahel Checkpoint: There has been no change during the last past weeks. The soldiers were in their posts waiting for the Palestinians to pass. It's not clear at what point the jam begins: Is it where the people enter the wall or at the inner room where the physical inspections are preformed. It probably happens in both places. What seems to be the main reason is the fact that there is just one door leading from the wall inside and that in the inspection room there aren't enough machines. This situation causes the security men great satisfaction. They have nothing to do. Those working inside the room were also working slowly. The only ones suffering were the Palestinians who miss out on plenty of work hours. The waist hours at the checkpoint, this also causes them humiliation.
Al Nashshash: After the column from which we can't pass we saw notices informing about land confiscations that were dated from July. We took photos of the notice and sent it for further investigation. It has been there since July, but perhaps….
Nabi Unis: There wasn't much traffic. There was no coffee because of the Ramadan.
We met a person who lives near Halhul, he was on his way to work at Rammla. He told us that that it takes him two hours and a half by vehicle. He is a water engineer who works for the PA and deals with water purification. Yoska and he talked about professional information and exchanged names of people in the industry with whom one can consult.
Etzion DCL: It was 9:00 AM. At eight o'clock they started handing out numbers. All those who had magnetic cards were seated out side the hall. There was a large group in the hall of people who didn't get their cards. "There were no more numbers".
Only eight people had entered. The first number was 844 and the last was 047. So what will happen with all those who won't make it? They will have to return on the following week and stand in line all over again. There has to be a solution to this.
The prolonging of the work day, adding machines that issue permits or taking the names of those who didn't manage to enter to that on the following week they would be the first, are only some of the solutions that come in mind. But perhaps there is another answer.
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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