Bethlehem and surroundings, Wednesday PM, 01.12.04Observers: Noa R., Yael R., Ayelet F., Tirza F. (reporting)This shift took place from14:40 to 17:3014:40 Tunnel checkpoint, El KhadrNo line, no BP or military presence.14:55 Ezion DCOAbout 30 men wait silently. Only one is waiting in the window area. There is one active window, although soldiers are visible in 2 other inactive ones. Most people have already submitted their requests and are waiting for the soldier to call them. The lucky ones would get the desired permit.Among the waiting men there's a taxi driver who discovered one day that he is Shabac restricted. First he was told he can't get a permit because he has too many traffic tickets. He payed more than 6,000 NIS for all the tickets and then discovered that he is Shabac restricted. A lawyer (who charges 700$ which the man doesn't have) told him it's because he was caught in Jerusalem in 1996 without a permit, so now he wants to meet with the Shabac himself. We called to the soldier on the roof. "They can't apply to the Shabac", he explains, "It's through us. The Shabac summons them". When will he be summoned? "There are 20, 30, 40% Shabac restricted. What, the Shabac will speak with all of them? Does it seem logical to you? Some are summoned and some are not. They should understand that themselves". We give the man the number of Firas Alami and he calls him there and then.Another man asks for a working permit. He says there is a representative of the ministry of social affairs in the DCO, who gives permits despite the closure. We apply to the same soldier. The answer is that the man should come to the DCO with his employer. Would that guarantee the permit? "Maybe yes and maybe no. This is not a very tight closure".When we go back to the shed, the soldier in the tower yells to us demanding that we tell the people to go into the shed as well, because "this is not a promenade". 15:50 Ezion checkpointAbandoned. There is a police jeep in the middle of the round circle but it doesn't seem to bother anyone.16:00 El Khadr Again no police or military. A fruit seller tells us there was a curfew yesterday, because the soldiers claimed someone was throwing stones.16:35 Beit-JalaAbout 10 cars going towards Bethlehem, 25 going to Jerusalem. We stand by the taxi drivers beyond the checkpoint, towards Beit-Jala. A soldier approaches us and asks about us: "Which organization are you from? Did you come here to watch us or something?" etc. We have a relaxed conversation with him about our right to the country and to conquer. The taxi drivers say they noted that the line is going faster since we arrived.They say the checkpoint closes to vehicles everyday at 19:00. They tell us about a 43 years old man from Walaja, who had a heart attack at night. The checkpoint was closed, even for the ambulance, and he had to be passed through it on foot. By the time he got to the hospital in Bethlehem he died.17:10 Bethlehem Checkpoint 300About 12 cars waiting in line to Bethlehem. We can't see the other line. Police blocks on the pavement. The central and active part of the checkpoint is dark. We see two girls waiting on the side, called to the detainees shed. We ask a soldier, who comes to inquire who we are, what is going on with these girls and whether their IDs were taken in the city. "They didn't come for IDs", he says, "They have no IDs, and now their clothes are being searched".2 men are released from the investigation room. The car line is emptied.