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‘Atara, Bethlehem (300), Tue 3.1.12, Afternoon

Place: Beit Ummar Bethlehem (300) Etzion DCO
Observers: Yael L.-J. (reporting), Avital (driver , translator)
Jan-03-2012
| Afternoon

 

—14:30-16:15-

 

 

Etzion DCO

 

When we arrived in the parking place 3 upper middle class cars were parked there  and one smaller but well kept vehicle with Palestinian plates. One young man (Palestinian?) asked me, who I am. After I had introduced myself with the word "Machsomwatch" he disappeared without saying a word.

There is nobody inside the waiting hall. The car owners or passengers seemed to be in the offices with the soldiers in charge. So there was nothing to do. We left.

 

Beit Ummar

 

We saw   observers balloon of the army, believing it stood over Beit Ummar. Because there had been disturbances by stone throwers over there, we wanted to have a look and drove to Beit Umar.

Meanwhile the balloon had disappeared behind clouds. Beit Umar was quiet. A lot of young men stood around, doing nothing. On our way we saw several army-vehicles.

 

We went back to the checkpoint Bethlehem via the road to the settlement Tekoa and the small checkpoint Har Huma. Meanwhile the clouds were gone and we observed 2 balloons over Gush Etzion.

 

Checkpoint Bethlehem

 

We saw that on our side "business is as usual"; there was no soldier around, there were groups of Palestinian workers and employees, very few foreigners  all heading home.

.

We left.

  

  • Beit Ummar

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    • Beit Ummar

      The Gush Etzion-Hebron road - which is the main axis of  the southern Hebron Mountains - passes through the boundaries of the village. Many incidents of stone throwing occurred on this section of road. There is a checkpoint at the entrance to the village.

      In March 2006, a 25-dunam land seizure order was issued around the settlement for the purpose of establishing a "special security area" (SHBM) and a warning fence around the nearby settlement, Carmei Tzur. In April 2019, 401 dunams of the land of the villages of Beit Omer and Halhul were expropriated for the purpose of paving a road that bypasses the house of Omer to the east.  Demonstrations are held by the villagers against the seizure of land with the participation of Palestinian, Israeli and international activists.

  • 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   .

  • 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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