Bethlehem, Etzion DCL, Wed 19.9.07, Morning
6:45- Rachel checkpoint
Outside there were many vehicles and people. Inside the lines for the inspection posts were very long and there was a lot of anger that was expressed by loud speech. Women complained that some men took advantage of the crowding to touch them.
The security men patrolled and were threatening with their rifles and constant warnings.
Five posts were manned. A soldier at one of the inspection posts was very slow. One person would pass through his lane at the time three passed at other inspection posts. We called the Humanitarian Center about this hoping he would be replaced or some other solution be found.
We met an woman from the Ecumenical Christians. She told us that the checkpoint had opened at 5:10, only one post was open and that people stormed it. But the main problem was with the the post with the slow soldier. One of the Palestinians was denied passage. He came to us. His permit was valid. Although he spoke Hebrew and the soldier wouldn't explain to him why he wasn't allowed to pass. When we asked the soldier for the reason, he answered that the man had to go to the DCL and renew his finger prints there.
7:15 El Nashnash
One person had fine to pay, he came to us for help.
8:30- Nabi Unis
A rolling checkpoint was created by a Hummer near halhul. Traffic was slowed by this.
9:00- Etzion DCL
There were many people. They all had different reasons to be there. On the bulletin board weren't any specifications of the reception hours, not those of the DCL or one of the police. I spoke to the officer there and he said he would take care of it.
On the bulletin board was a notice, signed by the commander of this area, it was both in Arabic and Hebrew and it notified about the land confiscations which are valid until December 2008. The reason: security. I spoke to Dror Athkes from Peace Now about this. He was on vacation but said he would pass this information on. He told us: "Such announcements on land confiscations on grounds of security reasons are a recurring phenomenon and usually we aren't able to change the situation").
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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