Bethlehem 13.12.2005; 14.00 – 18.00 Observing Ilana D, Ruth O. (Reporting)Our first stop was as usual at Abu Nassim’s store in Beit Ummar to whom we handed the traffic reports Haya has paid. Abu Nassim asked for our help in getting a permit for some one who had to come to Israel for medical help, and was denied. We gave him Dalia Bassa’s phone number and suggested the person should approach her.We proceeded towards the DCO, believing we will be able to devote some time to El-Hader, where help is always needed, but the coming events prevented us from realizing our intentions.We arrived at the DCO approximately at 3.30 PM and saw there many more people than usually at this time of the day. On arrival a man about 35 years old, who seemed quite desperate, approached us. He showed us an invitation to Hadassah hospital for his 7-year-old daughter for the coming day. The man told us he has been there since 8 o’clock in the morning and did not get a permit to accompany his daughter to the hospital. The reason he was given was the fact that he was a “Manua Shaback”, a fact that did not hinder his getting a permit a week ago. We approached Motti (the depuy commander of the DCO) who suggested that the child’s mother take her to the hospital. It turned out that the Mother is a Jordanian citizen and does not have any Israeli papers, hence not allowed any movement into Israel. We called Dalia Bassa’s office, and were told by Meir, who replaces her, and who was very cordial, that he is aware of the case and will try to hasten the procedures. The father, who was by now exhausted after a whole day without food or hope, made us think: Is it really needed to torture someone who is already anxious because his child has probably a very severe disease? Why does the procedure have to take a whole day, after he has applied for the permit through the Peres peace center three days before? Why is our intervention needed in order to tell him that his request is being processed and that it will be granted in the end? At about 5.30 PM the man got finally his one day permit to take his daughter to the hospital.Another story, not less disturbing, is that of a 60 year old Christian from Beit Jalla, a school principal of a special education school near Har Gilo. The man is supposed to undergo an open-heart operation the next day in the St. Joseph Hospital in east Jerusalem. He was also told that he can not get the needed permit because he is a “manuah Shaback” He told us he has never been told about it, he has never brokrn the law, and, needless to say has never been involved in any terrorist activity. He is a Christian educator who teaches peace. We spoke with Meir again, about this case, and he too got his permit at about 6 PM, not before his frustration and anger were overflowing. We helped him write a letter to Yair Lotstein (text number 2 of the letters Silvia prepared), in which he stated his innocence and asked to be freed of the predicament. We left at about 6 PM with very hard feelings, we probably were able to help two people, but how many cases like these happen every day?