Bethlehem, Fri 11.11.11, Morning

Friday 11.11.11
9:00-11:00
Bethlehem - Checkpoint 300:  relatively few Palestinians crossed today. No lines formed.
At the beginning, two lanes were open, and later on - 3.  Two guards were walking around, one of them very blunt and vocal, and he was clearly bothered by our presence there.  One older and ill woman arrived, with a permit, who wished to pray but could not go alone.  Her 40  year-old daughter asked to tag along but had no permit.  A female officer responded that a humanitarian exception might be made by appealing to the DCL, but the request was denied.  
An older  tiny woman arrived and immediately started to go through the carousel as if ignoring the checkpoint.  A soldier and guard both tried to detain her but she ignored them.  The guard called the commander:
“There’s an older woman here trying to go through the carousel.  You want to come over?”
– “How old?”
– “Do I know… about 200!”
– “OK, let her through.”
What fun this was to witness!  We really felt like singing on top of the Chord Bridge in Jerusalem!