Beit Ummar, Bethlehem, Etzion DCL, Mon 16.11.09, Afternoon
Etzion DCL: we arrived in the afternoon. The DCL was deserted. A soldier, just arrived in the DCL, was in the window. I explained to him who we are, and after a few minutes he called me and asked: “Do you also bother about Gilad Shalit.” A nice comparison, now that I am in my warm home, to think that the Palestinians are like Gilad Shalit, prisoners of war (in my understanding) or just kidnapped in the hands of criminals.
I explained something to the soldier about the laws of war and the Fourth Geneva Convention, and said that there are clearly violations also on the other side (if it belongs to the definitions).
There was also a blacklistee who was not issued a magnetic card – or was confused and the problem was with a permit that he did not get, and he was waiting for a conversation with Shabak – and he was still waiting when we left.
And E., who had half her body amputated, had come again to get a permit, saying that they gave her each time according to invitations to hospital. In a check that we made, turns out that Hadassah over long periods does not submit to Beth El, so this remarkable woman, who had succeeded in getting a driving license, finds herself all too often at the DCL.
A conversation with Rawi temporarily resolved the problem and she was given an entry permit for a month. We hope that during the month the bureaucracy will be arranged. Rawi is transferring to Ramallah next week. Danny remains and is getting reinforcement.
We felt the coming of winter in Beit Ummar.
A warm and pleasant winter.
Beit Ummar
See all reports for this place-
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)
See all reports for this place-
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
See all reports for this place-
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.
-