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Bethlehem (300), Fri 3.5.13, Morning

Place: Bethlehem (300)
Tags: Slow passage
Observers: Efrat B., Clair Oren (reporting)
May-03-2013
| Morning

 

Bethlehem – Checkpoint 300, 9:00 – 11:00 AM:

 

Naomi Gal (Translating)

 

Only two stations are open and most of the time a line of Palestinians is formed. Twice during the shift a police officer stood in the gate separating the two stations and swiftly let ting  the Palestinians pass after getting a glimps on their  permits.

 

The rest of the time they had to wait for the tedious checking by the computer and press their finger for the biometric checking.

An ecumenical volunteer said it took her 35 minutes to pass.

The second time the police officer decided to speed things up at the checkpoint there were 14 women (a group of English-speaking guided by Yael) who clearly witnessed this circus, the power-games of occupation and the absolute helplessness of the Palestinians. Hence the supposedly humanitarian act aimed to expedite the passage and skip the usual checking makes them completely redundant and highlights to what point they only serve to devastate the occupied.

  • 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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