Ezyon DCO near Bethlehem 15.5.06, AfternoonObservers:Slomit S’, Ora A’, and Yael S’ (reporting) “Happy” and denied Palestinians. There weren’t many people at the DCO, about 50. The numbers were distributed in the morning among those who hold magnetic cards. Work permits: Thanks our intervention some permits were handed out also to the workers themselves, and not only to their employers. We didn’t inquire any further. We didn’t see Maher today… Medical Permits: The regulations have become even more strict: Seeing as all the permits must go through Beit El and the DCO isn ot athorized to distribute medical permits, all the requests are transferred to Beit El, where it take 24 hours to check all of them. This does not apply to emergencies, only regular requests for routine treatment at Israeli hospitals (including three hospitals in east Jerusalem). For instance, there was a couple who wanted to get fertility treatments in Sheari Tzedek in Jerusalem. The women received a permit, but the husband did not… of course I notified Dalia Basa of this and now she is taking care of it. Another incident was of a man who wanted to escort his son to his medical treatment, the son received a permit, but the father got his permit a day after the son…Merchants: We don’t understand the situation here. The DCO has sent them to the Palestinian office of commerce, even though their commerce permits are up to date… Two merchants told us that it has been four months since they last worked! On road number 60 the Hummers and Jeeps were at their usual places. At Beit Ummar it seems that they are getting used to the daily routine… At Rachel’s Passage someone told us that he lost his papers, but thanks to a simple coordination with the commander, he was able to return home. There weren’t any special lines, but they said that in the morning it took an hour to get out of the checkpoint… On Sunday it was worse, it took two hours and that is true only to for the “Fortunate ones” (who get the magnetic cards and permits and can even consider crossing)…