Back to reports search page

Bethlehem (300), Tue 23.10.12, Morning

Place: Bethlehem (300)
Tags: Maltreatment
Observers: D., R. (both reporting)
Oct-23-2012
| Morning

 

Bethlehem, 06:40

The hall is crowded, noisy, and full of people who want to pass. The soldier positioned in work-station number 1 stops checking, stands up and demands that people line up in order. Another work-station soldier joins her demand. The guards express support in the soldier’s demand and ask the people to stand in order and in a straight line. They repeat the demand several times. There are many men, merchants, waiting to pass at seven AM.  They and others were loud and noisy. The humanitarian station is open. One of the guards takes a Palestinian to the wall where we are standing in order to investigate him. The guard tells him to sit down. The man sits down, but then stands up, the guard does not insist on his sitting on the floor. Within a few minutes the Palestinian is on his way to Jerusalem. By seven thirty everyone had passed. It has been a long time since we saw such insistence on an orderly queue at the crossing.

  • 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   .
Donate