Bethlehem, Thursday morning, 25 December 2003.MachsomWatchers: OS, HB, NK, IM 06:40, Checkpoint 300:Between the checkpoint and the junction, where the roads meet the path leading up from the wadi, we saw a Border Police jeep that was detaining pedestrians coming from the direction of the checkpoint. Everyone had a permit, but nevertheless they were stopped and their papers checked.The Border Police soldiers in the jeep explained that at the checkpoint, they only look at the permit, while they themselves check all the papers thoroughly.We walk on toward the checkpoint. There’s a line of around 30 people on foot, moving quickly.Around 15 detainees are sitting by the wall. When we arrive, one of them gets up, and he’s shouted at to sit.Most of them weren’t caught at the checkpoint itself, they tell us, but were brought there. Some have been waiting for over an hour. We asked the border policeman at the checkpoint about them – we asked for them to be released, at least the old people – and were told that it takes time, because they’re checking everyone’s papers together, and then they release them all at once.Regarding the duplicate checks of pedestrians who passed through the checkpoint, the soldier told us that the people in the jeep checked whether people infiltrated without being checked, and that in fact he’s a member of another Border Police platoon, which doesn’t belong to the Bethlehem area, but to the Jerusalem area (I think that, by the number of the jeep – 22-308 – and the familiar face of one of the people inside, the jeep belongs to the Abu-Dis platoon).Each platoon operates in accordance with its own instructions, and so there isn’t much to do (one of the Border Police soldiers tells us he has reported on this).We waited for the detainees to be released. Meanwhile, a number of cars and trucks passed through, in both directions (all the papers of all the travelers were checked).The attitude shown us by the veterans and the commanders were practical and appropriate at all times, but over time, the attitude of some of the lower-ranking Border Police towards other people turned aggressive.A Palestinian driver who came from the Bethlehem direction was ordered with shouts and shoves to get out of his vehicle, (he said that the soldier pulled him by the ear), and was detained in a tent at the side of the road.One person detained by the wall wasn’t standing close enough to the wall, and was taken inside.Around 08:00, almost all the detainees were released.We gave the detained driver a “Moked” card [for contacting the Center for the Defense of the Individual].The Border Police platoon deputy-commanderwho regularly staffs the checkpoint – Doron Mantzur –seems to be doing his best to be responsible and methodical.