Bethlehem, Feb 13,2006 pmObservers: Ora A, Shlomit S’, Yael S’ – reportingNo special events.The first thing we noted was the small number of Palestinian cars on rout 60 south from the channel CP up to Halhul.Looked like all the Pill boxes were manned.DCO Ezyon – Still close due the reconstructions… 2 Young men who were invited to GSS investigation were sitting out without minimal facilities. We called Eyal who said that 400 permits were given within 3 days to Palestinians who applied in the Palestinian DCO in Bethlehem. – Business as usual he said.In El-Arub a Jeep parked and soldiers holding their guns on their shoulders stood in both side of road 60.I Beit-Ummar the Pill box is manned – but they don’t inhibit any movement.We continued south and saw the same: villages are detached from road 60 by dirt and stone barriers, and all military extensions are manned.New Bethlehem check point – Rachel passage: – the workers came back from their daily work took out there ID’s and permits. 2 positions were active and checked coming and going Palestinians. The worker arrived in groups of about 10 and passed to Bethlehem within few minutes. We asked about this morning and the drivers answered : from 3 am until 6 am (3 hours) to 5:30 am until 6:30 (hour and a half) – too long anyway. All of them said that mornings (entering Jerusalem) are very difficult, over crowded and poorly manned. WE thought that it impossible logistically to station 10-15 policemen from 5 am for 2 hours since the shifts are 8 hours long.We didn’t find any detainees in the old CP.Is a new terminal (such as Qalandiya and Bethlehem) built in the channel CP?