Bethlehem, Etzion DCL, Tue 23.3.10, Morning
06:40 am, Bethlehem =Checkpoint 300: according to the number outside,it was difficult to judge the rate of exit based on the worker’s comments – thetraffic was slow and people were waiting a long time.
Inside, five stations werefunctioning, but waiting for people and transit was in slow spurts. There wereno shouts from the inner examination room, from which we learnt that the blockwas outside, to where we have no access.
One of the transients contendedthat the area around the first entrance is Area C. If that is indeed true, theneverything done there, the fences and the lines, are under IDF jurisdiction.And the army can, must, find solutions to all the problems that are createdeach morning.
The following case points to thedemand for additional and greater efficiency at the checkpoint, which if givenwill prevent problems and runaround. A woman came to the checkpoint with hertwo small children. From the other side, her husband, who is an Israeliresident in Jerusalem,arrived. The woman had an appointment with a doctor for this morning, but whenthey arrived at the checkpoint it became clear that her transit pass was givenfor the next day. The suggestion was that she should return to DCL Hebron toreceive another pass. Travel there and back would cancel the time of theappointment. It was explained to us that it was not possible to let her crossbecause if she met up with an agent of the law in Israel, she would be considered“illegal.” There were no means at the checkpoint to make an official correctionto this kind of mistake. And she went back the way she came. A person who has Authority forchanges in a transit area would resolve problems such as this.
08:15 am, Etzion DCL: a man approached and told usthat he had come on Sunday to renew a magnetic card and was sent away with arecommendation to come back on Tuesday, but when he came on Tuesday he was toldto come on Sunday because that was the day assigned to the Elhader group. Hewas angry, nervous and helpless. A phone call to the Humanitarian Centre solvedthe problem and meant we finished the day having done something.
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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