Bethlehem. Tuesday PM, 9.5.2006 Observers: Ruth O. and Ilana D. (reporting) From 3:00 till 6:30 PMEven more so than before we felt frustrated and powerless during our shift. We were unable to reach anyone on our lists and felt the way the ‘system’ is choking the Palestinians even more acutely than before.Contrary to the announcement on the radio before we left, there was no army presence whatsoever on Road 60. At the Ezyon DCL there was hardly a space to park, but the waiting room was half empty and only about fifteen people crowded against the turnstiles. The newly installed ‘numerator’ was stuck at 224. The toilet was filthy, but not overflowing. A handwritten note states that permits are issued at 8:00 AM and numbers for magnetic cards are given out every morning at 9:30.Apparently no one had exited for the last half hour. People who had been there since 8:00 AM for their magnetic card, were still waiting. We decided to wait a little longer before calling and when after another half hour nothing inside seemed to move we tried Eyal, then Amir and then the office number and got a nice girl who told us that Eyal was away, Amir was busy and could not be disturbed and that the Biometric Card Machine was broken. We implored her to inform the waiting crowds re the situation.