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Bethlehem, Etzion DCL, Sun 31.5.09, Morning

Observers: Sylvia P., Chana A. (reporting)
May-31-2009
| Morning

 

6:50 Bethlehem – Checkpoint 300: the outside streets is full of workers, inside the crowd has almost dispersed. People come up to us to tell us how "fast" they crossed (some say only 20 minutes). Two of our members, Hana and Netanya, have been counting the crossers since 5 AM and here are the results:

 

from 5:00 – 7:15 AM:  a total of 2145 passed and the exit hall was almost empty. This may be lower than the crowd of a few months ago (some people avoid this terminal because of the problems there), but is more than the total the EAPPI gave us in the past few weeks, as much as they were there to give it to us. Notice the decline since April and the increase as for today.
                                            (26/4: 2449 by 7:00 am;

                                              3/5: 1803 by 7:00 am;

                                            10/5: 1786 by 7:00 am;

                                            24/5: 1170 by 6:30 am;

                                            31/5: 2145 by 7:15 am)

Etzion DCL: the waiting room was opened exactly at 8:00, the DCO started operating at 8:10. There were very few people waiting. No one for the handprint as far as we could assess. One person who needed the police officer was told he would not be there before 12. We were approached by a few petitioners and took their names. Called some people we met in the past and gave one name to Yesh Din. Some had their problems solved without us. We left when there were less than ten people in the waiting room.

 

  

  • 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   .
  • 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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