Bethlehem Checkpoint, Israeli side: Second Friday of Ramadan
A sad, gray, sparse day.
A line of white buses stands waiting to transport those wishing to pray at Haram al-Sharif, but they move slowly. The ushers do not rush people to board quickly or fill the buses so they can depart and make room for the next one: there is time. The number of people who received permits and/or wish to reach the Haram is likely low. Men over 55 and women over 50 are exempt from permits. There is no sense of joy or excitement. People pass through silently; in the tent at the edge of the plaza, they buy bus tickets. The clear majority are men, with a few women here and there. I saw almost no children, I could literally count them on my fingers. And the few who arrived with a parent were not dressed festively as they were a few years ago.
A comforting conversation with an older man from Bethlehem (originally from Kuwait) about hope and the possibility of living together… He has traveled to many places around the world and has quite a few Palestinian friends within Israel. He speaks of compassion and peace-making – that is his calling.
Location Description
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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