Bethlehem and vicinity, Wednesday PM, 20.9.06Observers: Laura S., Daniela G.Ezion DCL: The parking lot is pretty full, no one is in the shed and the numerator is turned off. About ten men crowded by the turnstiles. Most of them have come for permits, one or two for magnetic cards. Perhaps at this hour they don’t need numbers anymore. A young couple, accompanied by their toddler son, fail to understand why the woman, a teacher, was not issued a permit even though she had all the necessary documents. Since it was at a church she was supposed to teach, we could provide the explanation – quota. They thank us profusely (for what?!).Tunnel CP: There is a blue police flying CP for vehicles southbound, right opposite the army one for vehicles Jerusalem bound. Long lines form in front of both. At the army CP, two BP-men are forcefully holding down two Palestinian youngsters, banging their heads against the front of the car while trying to tie their hands behind their backs with ropes. By the time we stopped and got there they were already released. However, out of the four cars parked there for their passengers’ papers to be checked, down came tens of young Palestinians, students most of them. All hell broke loose. 2 BP-women, 2 blue policemen and a few BP-men are aggressively doing their best to get the passengers back on the buses. The students are angry, several girls are tear eyed and it seems the incident is a frequent one. Namely, the BP, while demanding the students’ IDs, shove them and slap them around. A young Palestinian who tried to resist and complain about the attitude in general was finally taken into custody.Bethlehem CP: Though it is only a quarter to five, the workmen are beginning to arrive from Jerusalem. As usual, it takes only a few minutes of our entering the terminal, and a second booth is manned. Today a third soldier even stayed (for our benefit?) so as to maintain order in the hall. But while we were there, things moved really fast. To think that these people standing in line so as to go back home after a day’s labor are the lucky ones, some of them even more fortunate as to carry parcels with “Happy Holidays” on them.