Bethlehem, Nabi Yunis, Tue 28.4.09, Afternoon
Bethlehem and Surroundings: Yom ha Sikaron, Illit R., the other permanent member of the shift, had to travel abroad all of a sudden. So our experienced driver and me were alone. I decided in this situation to observe some checkpoints which usually are not on our agenda and leave Bethlehem – Checkpoint 300 and the Etzion DCL.
We first drove to Nabi Yunis.
15:00 PM, Nabi Yunis: there is a big red board put up, saying that Israelis are not allowed to enter the area of the Palestinian Authority.
I guess that on their territory only the Palestinians are in charge of forbidding or allowing Israelis to enter their territories.
Due to International law the Israeli army has no right to limit my movement in the occupied territories except in a moment where the security of the army is in question. We did not drive in the forbidden direction, but should we really follow this illegal order?
There is a small open hut besides the street. We had tea there and were talking a bit with the Palestinians. Soldiers were not visible. They might have been in the tower.
Allon Shwut: on our way back we saw two soldiers checking a yellow Palestinian taxi at the crossroad. Before we could come closer they finished their checkup and let the people go.
Marmurea: this is a checkpoint on the settler's road to Herodion. There are in both directions bars let down, which are only pulled up after the soldiers had a look on the driver and inmates. We were passing the checkpoint in both directions. On our way back at 15:45 pm we saw that the soldiers did send back a car with Palestinian numbers.
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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Nabi Yunis
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Nabi YunisA meeting place at the junction of Route 60 and the road leading to the eastern entrance to Hebron.
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