Al Nashshash, Bethlehem, Etzion DCL, Wed 25.6.08, Morning
Yuske (driver and helper). Iris and Nina (guests from the Netherlands)
Bethlehem, Rachel Crossing: Passage through the front part of the checkpoint is quick. There are five active booths. The soldiers manning the posts are efficient and traffic flows quickly.
We bumped into one security man who did not have any identification, but who seemed very friendly. He was accompanied by a DCL officer (who did wear a name tag which identified his unit). When we asked him about opening another passage through the wall, he responded that it was in the plans. In any case, it seemed like the initial entrance into the checkpoint is the bottle neck.
Two Palestinians who went through the checking booths were asked to return inside in order to renew their finger scans. They asked the soldier to postpone this check in order for them not to miss a day of work. After a short discussion with one of the officers it was approved for the two to return at a later date and they were off to work.
I asked the DCL officer why aren’t people notified a few days before they need to renew their fingerprints and was told that the expiration date is printed on the magnetic card. After a quick examination I learned that this was not the case. The magnetic card listed the date of the card’s expiration, but not when fingerprints had to be renewed. Which raises the question, why is it necessary for a person to come to the checkpoint in order to go to work and then find out that they cannot pass until they renew their fingerprints. Why can’t they be notified a few days in advance?
We met a father with his 9 year old daughter who is sick with cancer. They must go through the checkpoints every day. He told us about a group of volunteers called Gamilla, which helps with driving sick Palestinians from the West Bank to different hospitals throughout Israel. There is a car that waits for him every day at the checkpoint to take them to the hospital and back. This is another example of the good actions taken by Israeli Jews.
Al-Nashshash: we spent about 20 minutes at the place.
Nebi-Yunes: We met a Palestinian who had contacted Sylvia and asked for help. He has not been issued a magnetic card. As usual we suggested that he gets a summons from an Israeli employer. Otherwise he has little chance of getting through.
Etzion DCL: The DCL was closed for infrastructure maintenance. There is no one entering or exiting the building apart for a few summoned by the GSS.
A-Nashshash
See all reports for this place-
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.
-
Bethlehem (300)
See all reports for this place-
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
See all reports for this place-
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.
-