Bethlehem, Etzion DCL, Sun 9.3.08, Morning
7:00 Bethlehem: The sign of the closure of today are easy to see along the Bethlehem road. No workers on the sides of the road and no minibuses or employers around. At the terminal one booth only is open and there is almost no work for it. On the other hand, there are many security people around. After making their presence felt on the Israeli side, they take their seats on chairs placed at the upper gallery and look at us from above talking to the Ecumenic standing on the Palestinian side. Those who cross over are all humanitarian cases and although there are very few of them (among them the three toddlers who come several times a week for dialysis with one of their parents), it takes half an hour to cross. We leave the terminal early. One of the people standing outside says to the woman from the Ecumenical group "You have to come tomorrow", meaning that then she'll see what really goes on here.
8:00 Etsion: Quiet and hazy. One of the security cases who is petitioning the High Court comes to sign on the documents. We get a few new petitioners and fill out forms. Two employers are spotted cursing and leaving the DCO with rapid steps, their employees running after them trying to figure out what will happen to them now. It gives one the shivers to watch the scene.
We leave at 10:00 to return to Jerusalem.
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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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