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Bethlehem (300), Tue 28.8.12, Morning

Place: Bethlehem (300)
Observers: D., R. (both reporting)
Aug-28-2012
| Morning

 

Bethlehem – Checkpoint 300:

 

6:45 am

Crowded outside.  All seem to agree it is a "good" morning. In the foyer are two guards, one military police, a man in police uniform (appeared to be Ethiopian) whom I have never seen before, and the other – S, a Matak soldier. Usually, not one of those is present at the checkpoint. 

 

At seven o'clock the lines are full to bursting coming into Jerusalem.  The man in police uniform opens up the grilled door separating the two rooms and tells all the "socharim" to enter.  He doesn't look at their permits. They rush through, a few showing their permits through force of habit, and in a few minutes the room in almost empty of Palestinians.  

  • 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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