Beit Ummar, Bethlehem, Etzion DCL, Mon 13.6.11, Morning
ETZION DCL CLOSED TWO DAYS
7.00 am, Bethlehem – Checkpoint 300: a steady stream of workers. All say that conditions are good today.
7.50 am, Etzion DCL: twenty people waiting outside, with a list ready. At 8.00, two soldiers (officers) arrive, open the door but announce that there will be no magnetic cards issued today or tomorrow – to the chagrin on all those waiting. According to the soldiers, the Palestinian DCL had been informed a month ago. But if our authorities knew already a month ago, why hadn’t this been publicized here?
(Later, on our return we saw inside a small notice saying that the DCL would be closed on 13.6-14-.6, except for humanitarian issues – but this was put up only very recently.)
Also, there was no police officer at either the Etzion or Hebron DCL today – and probably tomorrow. We were given different reasons by different people in charge! At any rate, Chaya has good reason to advise people to check with her in the morning before going to the police, so as not to waste their time. She had to tell a few people who phoned during the morning that there was no police officer on duty – and some of them let out their frustration on her.
Later in the morning, two men from south Hebron were waiting to retrieve their tractor that had been confiscated.
A man approached us for help in getting a permit to accompany his wife and their child who was to have tests at Hadassah in the afternoon. The wife from Hebron had a permit, but she couldn’t handle the language and other problems. He, from Bethlehem, had no permit. We contacted the (army) Moked who took details and said they would contact the DCL. Chaya gave him her phone number in case he needed further help.
A prearranged meeting to help a man get back the deposit he had had to pay by Court order. Chaya arranged to enquire at the Beit El office.
Beit Ummar: a young man asked for help about a permit but as we couldn’t handle the language problem, Chaya gave him her phone number so that his Hebrew-speaking father could phone her.
A couple of requests by men refused permits by Security – which we referred to Sylvia.
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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