Bethlehem and vacinity: Thurs. Nov. 18, 04 PMObservers: Eva P. Nurit S.(reporting)Etzion DCO: 3:45- We drove directly to the DCO in order to attempt finding it still open, as we know it closes at 4:00. UPon arrival we found about 4 people there who immediately turned to us for help as they had been rejected at the windows. There was one open window. One man wished to get a permit to travel to Santa Victoria for a 4 day treatment. For a reason unknown to him he is on some Shabac list and so was refused service. We called and insisted that health permits are not to be refused because of the shabac list. They did take him forms and said that they would investigate into the situation. There was a driver who needed to renew a permit who was first refused and then upon our insistence served and another request for a health permit which would have been refused because it was closing time, but since we were there and asked, they served them. All in all, the DCO staff was responsive to our requests and at least we had the feeling that were doing something useful.Etzion CP–it was empty of soldiers and detainees, although later on in El Khadr we were told by a taxi driver that people were being checked and detained further along the road. We didn’t see it.El Khadr–no soldiers, traffic flowing. The taxis were allowed to park inside the parking lot.BEthlehem CP 300–5:00- It was already dark and there was a long line of cars being checked at a liesurely pace. There is also construction going on at this CP. We were approached by a soldier dressed in full combat gear–helmet, all sorts of arms, etc. With deligent good manners he approached us, introduced himself, shook our hands and explained slowly and in detail, that he wished us to stand outside the check point because they have recieved warnings that there may be some shooting at this checkpoint and he does not want us to be harmed. We were, he said, very welcome to observe their activity from a safe distance. As we walked off, the other soldier who was with him (dressed in similiar combat gear) was eager to tell us about the constuction going on there. They are building a big international border crossing that will have all the amenities (what ever those are).We left soon after as it seemed that although the checking was slow, it was moving and it seemed to us that nobody was doing anything improper.