Bethlehem and surroundings, Monday, 5.9.2005, MorningObservers: Haya A. Ada G. Malca A. (reporting)Bethlehem C.P 7:10 – Deserted. The traffic is flowing smoothly, only at the C.P, on the way to Bet-Jalla, there was a soldier. Al-Khadr 7:20 – There is no military presence. About twelve Palestinian cabs were waiting at Al-Khadr C.P. People crossed the C.P. by foot; they wanted to go to area A. The C.P. ground turned into hard soil as a result of thousands of people – old, young and children – walking this way for years.Al-Khadr\Husan junction 8:00 – We are going southward and we see a few police men at the junction. The rest of the C.P, the one by the huge square at Etzion junction, Al-Harub, Bet-Omar and Nebi-Yunis–Halhul have disappeared. We stop for a second and then turn back north. Near Seir a military car stopped and a young soldier came out and asked what we were doing there. The signs on our car and on our chest meant nothing to him. Haya said that we are from MachsomWatch and he asked: “What is it?” This showed us that the Israelis are ignorant about the problems at the C.P. Etzion DCO 10:30 – About 30 people were waiting. A few happy people got a magnetic card; one lady got a card for only one month, even though she is working for years at the church in Jerusalem. Never mind she said, I will come back next month. Merchants did not get permits to enter Israel, because the number was limited to 50. The rest of the merchants were left without livelihood. A young Palestinian, who studied medicine and worked in Russia, wanted to bring back his wife and two daughters, did not get a permit. Another doctor, who worked for years in Israel as a neuron-surgeon and got the Shimon Peres prize for peace, did not get a permit to enter Israel. 12:00 – We left Etzion D.C.O. Haya and Ada will take care of the problems that we encountered at the C.Ps during the week.