Bethlehem, Al Khader, Etsion, July 17 AMObservers: Ofra B, Sylvia P, Chana A (reporting)6:45 CP 300Bethlehem: Closure, very few people standing in line, only those going into Jerusalem for religious reasons (we saw some nuns) and humanitarian cases. There were a few detainees out of reach. Then things got interesting: A contractor with a mini van dying to get his workers, talked to the commander of the CP, but to no avail. At least one of the detainees was his worker, and, he said, the least he could do was give him his check. So he ran over with an envelope, came back and continued waiting. Just in case. In the meantime, some 20-30 workers, all “caught” in the act of circumnavigating the CP, walked over on the sidewalk on the Israeli side. In a minute and before they even reached the machsom, their employer had gotten their ID’s back from inspection and was allowed to take them all to work. All had valid work permits. Al Khader: Nothing interesting. Always the same. The shuk is more active these days. Ezyon DCO: Only about 15 people there. No one asked us for help. Sylvia meticulously edited the instruction sheet in Arabic, erasing the sentence with “fax etc.” and replacing it with the address to send a petition to. We will xerox more of these amended instruction forms to be posted in the next few days at the DCL. More on the family from Bethlehem case: As may be remembered, there was a call ten days ago from a family in Bethlehem which is from Gaza on the wife’s side: Layla, the 32-year old mother, is originally from Khan Yunis. Her mother, Zahara, had to undergo an operation in Gaza on Friday, July 15, but Layla could not get a permit to go because she is “menuat Shabak” (why she doesn’t know). Actually, she hasn’t been able to go to Gaza for the last six years and hadn’t seen her mother all that time. On Saturday evening, July 9, we sent a fax to Lothstein’s office with all the details, including a letter from the hospital in Gaza (in perfect English). On Sunday afternoon, the response from L’s office “Yes, we gave it highest priority and sent the request to the Shabak”. I was happily surprised, but wary. On Firas’ advice, we called every day, but the case did not move. Tuesday there was an suicide attack in Netanya and closure was imposed on the West Bank and Gaza. Wednesday I couldn’t get through, Thursday the answer was still “patience” and we called MK Zehava Galon in the afternoon. An hour and a half later, Dina, her parliamentary assistant, called and said the permit had been given, and Layla could go to Gaza for two weeks, but she HAD TO LEAVE ON FRIDAY. Thursday night and Friday morning there were air attacks on Gaza and Khan Yunis. Nevertheless, Salem Jafri took his wife, Layla, and their two youngest children, to Ezyon on Friday morning. The office there opened especially for them and they received the permit for her to go to Gaza (the young children don’t need permits), in spite of the closure, the attacks, and everything else,and she made the journey, arriving there safely some hours later. Zahara, the mother was operated successfully and now Salem wants to go too. Does this sound surrealistic? Life is stranger than fiction. I am sending this on now. No time for translations. Tomorrow the Hebrew will come.