Bethlehem CP - second Friday of Ramadan
9.00 When we arrived there were already crowds who had passed through, queuing for the many buses which were waiting for them. We hadn’t realized that they set out so early – a soldier told us that they started coming at seven. On the way to the beginning of the line there were a few official-looking men (supplied by the bus company?) who said they were providing information.
We walked along the road passing the lines of people waiting for the bus, but soldiers stopped us from going closer, into the large area where people gathered just as they came out of the checkpoint.
We were struck by the enormous number of women. It looked as if men and women were coming out in separate batches.
All was very calm. The highlight for us was a young German woman who needed help to get through the checkpoint in the opposite direction, towards Bethlehem. She was so excited to hear we were from Machsomwatch! She is a journalist on a church magazine which published an item in honour of Machsomwatch’s anniversary. She asked to meet us next week so hear of our work. Corinna Waltz is her name.
We left just after 10 o’clock as there seemed little point in staying later. There were a couple of cars and a few pedestrians making their way towards Rachel’s Tomb.
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 .
-