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Beit Ummar, Bethlehem, Etzion DCL, Nabi Yunis, Mon 31.1.11, Morning

Observers: Chaya O., Chana S. (reporting)
Jan-31-2011
| Morning

 

7.00 am, Bethlehem – Checkpoint 300:  because of the violent weather, very few labourers. All whom we asked said they had passed through very quickly and easily.

Husan and Beit Ummar:  no clients at all, presumably because of the weather.

7.45 am, Etzion DCL:  already there were least 15 men waiting outside in the bitter cold. One man was making a list so that there could be some order when the office would finally open. He agreed to report on the situation inside if we would phone him. At 8.15 am there were 24 people inside.

At 9.30 am he said that only three people had been admitted in the previous hour. We phoned the DCL and a woman soldier said she would check. When  we called 15 minutes later she was ‘ still checking'. After that, unfortunately, in spite of repeated attempts, we didn't succeed in making phoning contact with this man, so don't know if any progress was made.

9.00 am, Nabi Yunis: here we had nine clients, sufficiently desperate so as to brave the bitterly cold wind. One we referred to Kiryat Arba for a `teudat yosher' (certificate of legality). One had arranged a meeting with us to deal with an old traffic fine (that Ada is handling). One is still dealing with an `offence' in which he was in error accused of driving with an invalid license. Here Chaya writes the relevant letters to the authorities in Hebrew. We advised a man who didn't know whether he was refused entry by the police or by Security to go to the Palestinian DCL to get this information – as a first step.

We gave Sylvia's details to a man refused by Security.

One man gave Chaya authority to check his police records to see why he was refused.

As usual, Chaya had checked early to see that a police officer was on duty at Etzion and so she could refer three men there to get printed information as to why their permits were refused. When after an hour they said they were not yet admitted, we learned that `the system was down'. Chaya arranged with the police officer to have their documents faxed to her. She would then fax them to the clients, saving them an Etzion DCL experience.

  • 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.

  • 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   .
  • 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.
  • Nabi Yunis

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    • Nabi Yunis

      A meeting place at the junction of Route 60 and the road leading to the eastern entrance to Hebron.

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