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Bethlehem, Thu 27.12.07, Morning

Place: Bethlehem (300)
Tags: Slow passage
Observers: Rachel F., NOra B., guest
Dec-27-2007
| Morning

5:30 – 7:00

Rachel Crossing – Israeli side:  5windows open. There is no pressure on the Israeli side. We are told that the checkpoint opened today at 5:00 on the Palestinian side, but lots of people are waiting, queues are long and a big mess. The Ecumenical Watcher tells us that in the beginning only one metal detector worked. Then, a woman soldier came and made things run faster and the other metal detector started to work. When he passed at 6:00, it took him 30 minutes to pass, but he thinks that if he would have pass through the second metal detector, it would have taken him an extra 10 minutes.
People arrive at the Israeli side by stages, and at certain times soldiers are idle. Two soldiers fall asleep at their windows. When finally, Palestinians arrive at the Israeli side, the sleeping soldiers are unavailable at their windows. We awake one of them. We reported the other sleeping soldier to an official who answered: "You bring me 2 soldiers, and then I will be able to open the windows". Nevertheless, after a few minutes a soldier came and woke up the sleeping one.
One man's permit was taken from him with no explaination. We asked the soldier what the reason was and were told that this man's permit was confiscated because he is a GSS suspect. We referred the man to Sylvia.
At around 7:00 there was little movement at the checkpoint.

  • 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   .
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