Beit Ummar, Bethlehem, Etzion DCL, Mon 13.6.11, Afternoon
Etzion DCL, 14:15pm : to our surprise, the waiting hall was empty. Inside, a posted announcement stated that the hall was closed to the public on 13/6 and 14/6. It turned out that the District Coordination Office (DCO) was closed because the soldiers were away on a trip. This closure coming right after last week’s closure for Shavu’ot. Those who arrived at the checkpoint after the holiday, hoping the DCO would resume regular hours, discovered that the soldiers had gotten an extended vacation and that no one had ensured their replacement. The disappointed Palestinians, who’d come today from Bethlehem, realized they’d have to wait a week and return next Monday, on the day designated for Bethlehem.
An elderly man who arrived and wasn’t let in asked us to help him. We spoke to the soldier at the window, who told us that this man’s business couldn’t be taken care of today, but promised to let him through on Wednesday even though he was from Bethlehem and Wednesday wasn’t “his day”.
Beit Ummar: after realizing the DCO wouldn’t open, we drove to Beth Ummar and then to Checkpoint 300.
Bethlehem– Checkpoint 300: we observed many laborers returning after work, going through an open gate without examination. Those who wished to enter Israel were examined swiftly.
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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