Bethlehem, Fri 5.8.11, Morning
Ramadan
Bethlehem – Checkpoint 300, (the Palestinian side): generally: crossing was fast and quiet, no prolonged waiting, c. 15 minutes from start to exit. Many young women with permits were observed this year. Policemen, border police and civil administration all behaved courteously, making sure to conduct the crossing swiftly and with dignity.
We arrived at 8:00. The streets in Bethlehem were empty, the shops closed — a festive mood in the early morning hours. Even parking was easy. At the checkpoint we found a line (not long) of men and women crossing quickly. In the women's line children up to the age of 12 crossed with a birth certificate; beyond that age, crossing required a permit. One boy, accompanying a very old blind woman, was allowed to continue with her to Jerusalem after our intervention. It was our impression that many were given permits for prayers this year, perhaps more than in previous years.
At the entrance, women were directed, as in previous years, to cross through the passage for vehicles. They were checked by policewomen. This year pedestrian lanes were added for the crossing of women and the elderly, thereby easing the stream of traffic significantly. The handicapped using this route had difficulty both because of the mild incline to the turnstile of "the humanitarian crossing", and also because the walk to the buses is longer than that through the building. Inside the building itself, the three magnet-meters were operating smoothly and human traffic flowed.
By the time we left numbers had decreased greatly, and it appeared that most of the worshippers were already on their way to the mosque.
Bethlehem (300)
See all reports for this place-
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 .
-