Bethlehem and vicinity, Thursday, 11.5.06, AMObservers: Ruth E., Aviva W., Rama Y. (reporting)Bethlehem CP: People told us that instead of at 05:00 the CP opened at 06:15. Apparently, there was a huge crowd back there and the pressure at the line was unbearable. Of course, there was no way we could see what was going on. A man approached us — his 12 year old son had undergone an operation in Italy, and has now to be under medical care, but for some reason his wife cannot get the necessary permit in order to accompany him to hospital.Ezyon DCO: There is some improvement, as people coming for their magnetic cards receive numbers, and if they don’t make it to the counter, the number is valid for the following day. Permit seekers do not have numbers. A man who was waiting in line called us over — it was after 09:00 — and said that since the opening of the DCO, at 08:00, only seven persons had been given permits. While trying to contact someone, anyone, in the DCO (and getting no answer) several of those waiting in line for permits were summoned in. But the worst is the new regulation concerning Palestinians who work in Israel — employers have to be present physically in the DCO in order to receive personally the work permits for their employees. Some do come especially for that, and not only from Jerusalem but from Ashkelon, Tel Aviv area etc; and some, of course, won’t. This intentional harassment of Israeli contractors insures that eventually they will give up their Palestinian workers altogether — just another aspect of the “disengagement” cherished by so many Israelis those days; and one cannot but wonder where and whose is the brain that ponders those monstrosities. There were quite many Palestinians that morning in the DCO desperate to have work permits, to no avail.