Bethlehem and surroundings, Wednesday, 14.9.2005, AfternoonReporting: Hadas B. Orit Y.A usual day at the checkpoints. Conquest routine: indifferent and rude soldiers, Palestinians trying to survive the reality, and we the viewers. Bethlehem route, Bet-Zafa junction 15:30: Four B.P were checking the workers coming back from work, stopping cabs, taking out the people, and detaining them. They filled out a report about each detainee with the help of an Arabic speaking policeman The soldiers were rude and addressed the people as if they were their novices. A man, about 50 years old, already “trained” by the soldiers, asked permission before he sat down or drank or smoked. His life is in the hands of the soldiers and therefore he talks with a plea: “soldiers may I”. This older man was detained for more than an hour and a half. The argument for his detainment was that the team was waiting for the jeep. At last the jeep arrived and a hostile commander came out and threatened that he will deliver a complaint against us. He “loaded” the man on the jeep as if he was his private possession and took him, refused to say where (it seems that they cuffed the detainees hands). We called the BP headquarters in Jerusalem, with the help of the jeep’s number, and they told us that he was taken to King David’s citadel. But Hanna from Ramat-Gan reported to us that the soldiers threw out the Palestinian on the way. Checkpoint 300 16:30: a man and a woman were waiting under the detainees shed. They were picked up at Gilo junction and they were detained for inquest at the C.P. We met Idan D, the C.P commander. He told us that the C.P was open to all permit holders.Al-Khadr 17:10: On our way we bumped into two sudden CP’s. There was no military presence but people told us that during the day there were about 5 mobile CP’s between the tunnels CP and Gush-Etzion junction. The purpose was winter checking and giving fines. At 18:00 we did not see any more mobile CPs. The way was open until Nebi-Unis, where the CP was open but a military jeep was standing there. A stall owner told us that at noon time at Etzion D.C.O., he went to a soldier who set at the desk. The soldier was sitting with his legs spread apart, refused to look at his papers and told him: get lost! The man’s pleas for human treatment were in vain.