Bethlehem, Etzion DCL, Mon 22.2.10, Afternoon
13:40 PM, Etzion DCL: it was a depressing and frustrating shift. Fifteen Palestinians, among them parents with babies, were let in and waited up there from an hour and a half until someone bothered to deal with them. We made many phone calls, but did not succeed in speaking to one of the commanders. The phones were closed. It was only possible to leave a message for one. We talked to the Humanitarian Center and they promised to clarify and deal with the situation. A phone call to the Civil Administration also didn’t help. We phoned again – maybe this time the Administration would act, or perhaps the sleeping time of the commanders was over, because finally one of them started to deal with the people. Close to 15:30 the first of them emerged.
“Contempt and wrath,” as is written in the Book of Esther which we now read for Purim.
Bethlehem (300)
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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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Etzion DCO
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serves residents of Bethlehem and surrounding villages who need magnetic cards, work permits for Israel, permits for one-time entry for religious or health reasons, various police permits, etc.
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