Bethlehem, Etzion DCL, Tue 6.11.07, Morning
06:40, Bethlehem CP. Again, people complained about the crowding on the other side. A woman told us in a shaky voice about the harassments women sometimes suffer in the line.
There should be a separate humanitarian line in this CP.
A female soldier was excessively rude. She was sitting at booth no. 1, the only one where the palm print device was functioning. It seems there was yet another sophisticated renovation – Palestinians had to put their magnetic card on a magnetic tray near the palm print device, apparently a new procedure not known to them. While talking on the phone, she’d scream time and again through the loudspeaker, in Hebrew, at Palestinians to put the card on the tray. If they didn’t understand right away what they were supposed to do, she’d scream yet louder. People were confused and humiliated. When not screaming or talking on the phone, she would curse and insult us, through her loudspeaker.
It is hard to believe that they didn’t hear the screeches up there in the PC office, but though we called them, no one bothered to come down. It is clear that this young woman should not be let to deal with human beings.
08:10, Ezyon DCL. About thirty people.
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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