Bethlehem And Surrounds–thurs. March 10,2005 PMObservers: Maya B. and Nurit S.(reporting)Etzion DCO– We arrived at about 2:30 and found a few men waiting. One of them had been waiting since morning for his magnetic card. We called the DCO and spoke to Dina who said that she would check on this. After about 20 min. he was called and recieved his magnetic card. Another man approached us and asked for help regarding his wife’s situation. She was born in Kuwait to Palestinain parents who were killed in a car accident. She had been brought to Jerualem by her grandfather who subsesquently died leaving her in the care of a Christan Orphanage. She is now in her mid twenties and the mother of four children. She has never recieved and ID of any kind and all attempts to get one had failed. Her husband had tried applying at the Palestinian DCO and was refused. The Christan organization that had raised her had also tried and was told that at this point no IDs were being given out and that they must wait until the political situation changes in order to apply. We couldnt’ help this man as his problem is vis a vis the Palestinian authorities but one can’t help but wonder how this woman manages as an ID is really necessary if she is to go anywhere..as Palestinians are constantly asked to show them. In such a situation the person is in effect not able to leave their home without encountering some kind of trouble. the few people who were at the DCO were all seen within a short time and we left.Etzion CP–unmanned.El Khadr–no army presence and the usual crowding and traffic jam.Biet Jala–we just glanced on our way to Walleje and saw nothing unusual.Walleje: We drove around the lovely town of Wallje and met Ahmed, head of the Walleje committee who invited to his house for tea. We spoke to him about the situation there and also about his own personal situation…he has not been able to get a magnetic card for a number of years. In the past he had worked as a building contractor in the Jerusalem area and is well acquainted with many people in Jerusalem–engineers, architects, clients. Now he is unable to work and must subsist on hearding his few sheep. Ahmed is well over 50 yrs. old. Perhaps somebody has an idea how to help him get a magnetic card?