Beit ‘Inun, Beit Ummar, Bethlehem, Etzion DCL, Nabi Yunis, Mon 26.10.09, Morning
06:50 AM, Bethlehem – Checkpoint 300: five positions are open and long lines at each. An ecumenical tells us at 07:10 that from 05:00 till now 2,315 people have passed. He says that it was a difficult morning, crowded, and the soldiers opened and closed the entrance sporadically, pushing people back.
One of the women soldiers passes people, checking their documents lackadaisically, while lying on her back. Just so. We have encountered this phenomenon many times. We photographed her, not very successfully because she is amost not visible. The deputy commander of police, Itzik Zreihan, comes in response to desperate calls from the security company employees and the woman herself, and wants us to delete the photo. I said we are permitted to photograph. He says: “I am the law here, and it is forbidden. This is a military base, not a checkpoint,” and “I don't know who the Judge Advocate General is.”
07:50 AM, Etzion DCL: about 60 people waiting for the DCL to open. Some are waiting for the policeman. On Sunday afternoon the policeman said to us that he would be here on Monday. We told the people: today there is a policeman. When we returned to the DCL at 09:30, people were still waiting for him. We phoned him, and he said: “I'm guarding olive picking. The left have arrived here. There will be no policeman at the DCL today, and perhaps also not tomorrow.” We gave this new information to the waiting people.
08:15 AM, Beit 'Inun: many cars flying down Route 60, but the children have already crossed on their way to school. At this hour only adults crossing about their business.
08:30 AM, Beit Ummar: we met a man from the Bereaved Parents' Forum, whose brother was killed by our forces a few years ago. He was holding a permit to enter Israel when suddenly they took it from him. We referred him to Chana Barag – perhaps she could clarify his problem.
09:00 Nabi Yunis: no one waiting for us there – the first time in years.
09:30 AM, Etzion DCL (again): they told us there that since morning only one group of 20 people have entered. Inside the DCL and around it, 60 more people are waiting. We said that when they get the magnetic card, it's worthwhile to ask the soldier whether the person is restricted for entry into Israel or blacklisted. They almost laughed at us, explaining that the only way to know whether a man is blacklisted is to obtain an employer who will request a work permit. Till then, the blacklisting won't be revealed. When we said that they should ask at the Palestinian DCL – again we were told that they would only be sent back to this DCL.
Beit 'ُEinun
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The village is located on the northern outskirts of Hebron, east of Road 60 which leads to Gush Etzion and Bethlehem. Sometimes the army blocks with concrete blocks or an arm checkpoint the entrances and exits from road 60 and also the crossing to the nearby Shuyux . There were attacks on settlers from this village.
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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.
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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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Nabi Yunis
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Nabi YunisA meeting place at the junction of Route 60 and the road leading to the eastern entrance to Hebron.
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