Bethlehem, Etzion DCL, Sun 3.1.10, Morning
7:00 AM, Bethlehem – Checkpoint 300: The passing is smooth today. When we reached the terminal, the exit hallwas empty, not a good sign, yet the EAPPI reports 2139 people having passedalready.
7:15 AM: the hall refills, the passing is smooth and within fifteenminutes, the hall is cleared again.
8:00 AM, Etzion DCL: The DCL opens, five people are let into thewindow area. Not many people here, but as the hour goes by, the waiting roomfills up, many Christians are here to renew their magnetic cards. We leave at9:15 to meet someone at Beth Jalla, but are stopped on our way out by Naeef, anolder man from El Arub, who is very upset: On Friday afternoon, at 4:00 PM, soldierscame to his house, broke a window and threw a fire grenade (or something of thesort) into his house. The furniture burned down completely and Naeef's agedmother, 85, was totally traumatized. She needs special care now. He came tocomplain, we called up Yehudith E. of Yesh Din and she will take up his case.
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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