Bethlehem, Al Khadr, DCL Ezyon, Sunday, Nov. 13, AMWatchers: Sylvia P, Ofra B, Chana A (reporting)6:50 Bethlehem The road to the CP is blocked by temporary police barriers; flocks of Haredi men and women whose cars are parked on the side of the road in the direction of Jerusalem and Gilo, run over to the other side of the barriers to the buses waiting to take them to Rachel’s tomb. At our question what is going on, we hear to our great surprise that today, the 11th of Heshwan, is Rachel’s yohrzeit and this is the reason for another outing at the expense of the citizens of Bethlehem and the tourists who bring in some money. Afterwards we hear about a general closure in Bethlehem and wonder if this is the reason for it? How silly can you get? Because of the mess, we don’t go to the CP itself. We have appointments in El Khader and will run late if we walk up.7:15 Al Khadr The place has undergone a change: the sides of the road, where the cars park, have been widened and covered with gravel. A new “cafe” has gone up on the top of the upper path, stairs leading up to it. Even the earth mound has been slightly lowered and something resembling steps have been put in, making it easier to pass and, if this holds up during the rainy season, it will make things easier. Small consolation. We are approached by several people. One person, from Abadia, comes with documents for six of his relatives: his uncle, five cousins and his own request, of course. We start writing.8:45 We have an appointment at Abu Nasim in his grocery on the main road at Beth Omar. This adds two letters.9:20 Ezyon DCL Another two cases and one a horror story. A young man whose mother was killed by the IDF, sued for compensation and got it, but then his lawyer took the money and he never got an agora. Another person tells Ofra that the police fines that can be paid in Bethlehem at the Cairo-Amman bank are not transferred to the Israeli police. So it’s very important for us to pay the fines at the Post Office in Jerusalem.