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Bethlehem (300)

Place: Bethlehem (300)
Observers: Observing and reporting: Clair Oren, Translation: Naomi Gal
| Morning

9:30 to 11:30

Many people are waiting – occasionally the line gets too long. They say that there is a shortage of soldiers and only two windows are open, rarely three.

It turns out that lately more and more Palestinians are working on Fridays also, and according to the commander there is heavy traffic in the early morning until almost 8:00. In fact there was a constant flow of people until 11:30

Since the good commander was present, things were relatively calm and small problems were immediately resolved, for example:

A woman in a family that wanted to leave Jerusalem to attend a wedding had no permit and they did not let her pass. Her husband turned to the commander: in 5 days she will be 50 years old (today women pass without permits from the age of 50), he checked and let her pass. And other cases likewise.

One of the security guards who walked outside    the checkpoint saw a  Palestinian who sneaked through one of the crossings on the Palestinian side and passed the inspection on the Israeli side. He pounced on him and enthusiastically reported to the commander, who handled the matter quietly. Since the guard yelled that the man should be returned to the Palestinian side, he sent him to the place where he “sneaked in” and within 10 minutes the Palestinian was out. Presumably, in the absence of the commander, things would not have turned out the way they did.

 

  • 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   .
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