Bethlehem Wednesday, 21.07.04 Observers: Hagit Sh., Noa R., Yael R., Ayelet P., Tirza P. (reporting) Most of this vigil was taken up by conversations, pleasant and less pleasant. Checkpoint 300, 15:45. A line of 6-7 cars coming from the direction of Jerusalem. No detainees to be seen, but a lengthening line of cars. A Border Guard policeman doesn’t let us approach the checkpoint. In the line for pedestrians there are about 20 people, moving quickly (“More quickly since you arrived,” we are told). When the crossing point was empty, M., the checkpoint commander, turned to us. “I’m in love with this place, Bethlehem,” he says. “A better quality population, more civilized.” He said that he knows Aya, Tzili and Hadas, and then the full story came out: “I have been serving for four years. I used to be an extremist, not willing to listen to anyone. And then I became friendly with Aya, she had a conversation with me; she brought me nearer to her. It feels good to help someone. Whoever is judging is doing it from above. Me, I let a person go by according to my heart. There are people we let through without permits. Someone who has 8 children, if I checked him out on the computer, I wouldn’t stop him from passing. Afterwards, he’ll come home to his children; he’ll tell them that the soldier didn’t let him through. But I am not allowed to express a political opinion.” And then he asked, if possible, that the same women would come to the checkpoint all the time. “Just like there is vandalism among us, a small group who does it, also there is among you. Bring permanent people, who know the guards, each one and his burning point.” Beit Jalla, 17:25. Soldiers at the checkpoint. There is continuous fast movement, no obstacles. Suddenly somebody remembers to put us at a distance (“The watch is dangerous here; there was shooting a week ago”). We went to Wolojah from there. At the exit from the village there was a Border Guard jeep already waiting. The soldier signaled us to stop, and said cynically: “How happy I am to see you; you are doing holy work.” When we asked him about the checkpoint, he answered, “We are looking for wanted men, people who want to bring bombs into our beautiful country.” El Khader, 18:15. There is no IDF or Border Guard presence. Lots of action, taxis and buses are filling up the entrance. From the other side there also are no soldiers or Border Guards to be seen. The drivers talk about problems in the morning at Ezion, particularly during the early hours of the morning when they don’t let them through, and about the checkpoint at Wadi Nar, which doesn’t always open at 05:00 and a long line forms which harms especially people trying to get to the Allenby crossing [between Israel and Jordan] and who might get stuck for days at a time at the border. Ezion checkpoint, 19:20. An IDF jeep, a taxi and 2 men on the sidewalk. After a body search, they are released. The taxi goes on its way and the jeep disappears.