AM

Bethlehem and Al-Khader Monday morning, 5 April 2004 Watchers: Yehudit E., Ruti R., Nurit M., Osi M. (reporting), a guest Main issues: - Bethlehem: Almost no traffic, as a closure [prohibition on movement] was in effect; about 20 detainees were sitting facing the CP and not the wall! - they were released afterwards.- Al-Khader: Reported to us: beatings of taxi drivers by the soldiers at Wadi Nar, the use of tear gas, and other matters. (Note: not observed by us.) Bethlehem (Checkpoint 300): Closure is still in effect, and thus the traffic is sparse. When we arrived, there were about 20 detainees, sitting next to the wall facing the CP. (Note: this is an improvement; last week they were made to stand facing the wall). When we got closer, they were moved into a nearby stand of olive trees. On our return to the CP about 2-3 hours later, they weren’t there any more. Al-Khader: There were few soldiers on duty; they didn’t allow taxis and transit-vans to stand on the stretch of road next to the checkpoint itself, but other then that (and a single case – see below) they didn’t prevent the people from passing. One man (a teacher) was detained, who two days ago “hadn’t behaved properly” toward the soldiers. His ID was taken and the soldiers wanted to arrest him. We called the IDF "Humanitarian Center" [Hotline for cases needing attention], and also talked a lot to the soldiers, and they finally gave him the ID and released him.We heard serious and aggravated complaints regarding several issues, as follows (Note: as mentioned above, we didn’t observe those things ourselves):- The soldiers at the Wadi Nar checkpoint still beat up taxi drivers coming from the direction of Bethlehem, if they get too close to the CP. The soldiers don't allow the taxis to approach the CP itself, but make them drop off the passengers at a very great distance from it. A driver that does get too close (about 100 m) and meets a jeep on the road – the soldiers beat him severely. There are presently 5 drivers hospitalized after having been beaten, one with 14 stitches on his head.- The soldiers at Al-Khader “behave properly”, we were told, only as long as the MachsomWatchers are present. We heard complaints about tear gas being used; the background wasn’t made clear. A lecturer at the university at Hebron, who lives in Jerusalem, told us all about the hardships he encounters each time he tries to get from his home to the university and on his way home. This is nothing new. Before we left, one of soldiers says: "There is one thing I appreciate about your activity: that the Palestinians can realize that there are also other Jews."