Bethlehem, Al Khadr Tuesday morning, 25 May 2004 Watchers: Mara K., Tali S. (reporting) Summary: Closure in effect. Much hostility towards us from the soldiers and Border Police. We managed to help a family with a medical problem from Hussan. 6:30, around Tantur. Many BP jeeps. We began talking with one jeep driver who enquired who we were, but his irate commander slammed the window shut and says that he has no business talking with us. 6:45, Checkpoint 300 – Bethlehem. As soon as we approach the checkpoint, a BP soldier with a gun in his hands tells us to move 30 m. away. Very few people can get out (health care workers only). On the road towards Jerusalem, a group who had already passed the checkpoint is waiting for their ride. The same irate commander stops his jeep there and checks their IDs again, one by one. By the time he finishes, the people rush to their ride that by now is waiting for them. The commander shouts at us when we approach, to get away from him, people are waiting. 7:15, Har Gilo turnoff – a mobile (unscheduled) checkpoint, lately a common fixture at this site.Many soldiers, sparse traffic is flowing freely. A tall soldiers whom I’ve seen before says he hates MachsomWatch. A traffic police jeep arrives, talks to the soldiers and tells us we can’t park the car by the side of the road, it’s illegal. 7:45, Al Khadr. Frustrating. 3 soldiers tell all the Palestinians that they can get into Bethlehem but not out. We cannot help anybody who is stuck in. Only those with permits can pass. A group of teachers who want to get to schools in Hussan, Nachalin and El Fager are not allowed through. We call Yigal at the Etzion DCO [IDF Civilian Administration, that issues passage permits] and he says he will check. An hour later, when he gives his OK, the teachers have disappeared. We don’t know if they got through or gave up. The soldiers tell us that the current closure is because of a security alert that a suicide bomber who is supposed to start from Bethlehem.A man who knows Tzili approaches us with another man. The second man is from Hussan. His one-year-old daughter is in Hadassah hospital awaiting open-heart surgery. The man and his wife (who is breastfeeding) cannot get to their baby, as they do not have a permit from the GSS [Israeli Security Service]. We call Dahlia Bassa who is very helpful; she knows the family. About 4 hours and countless phone calls later, the mother gets a permit to be with her baby. Dahlia says she cannot help the father. A note: DCO Etzion refused to call Dahlia Bassa to find out about the permit, while the mother was actually there and waiting; they wanted Dahlia to call them!