Wallje, El Khadr, ETzion DCO, CP Efrat, El Khadr South

Bethlehem--Monday PM--Dec. 6,04Observers: Yael S. and Ilana D. (reporting)Guest from USA - Michelle L.From 12:30 till 17:30 - Wallaja, El Khader, DCO Etzion, CP Efrat, El Khader South, CP 300.We drove via Ein Yael into Wallaja where we found a BP-jeep at the entrance near the concrete slabs. The soldiers looked, but let us through as we entered curious as to where exactly the village would be cut in two. We didn't find out, but wanted to get to the schools in El Khader before closure, so we returned and found that the jeep had left. The Headmistress of the Secondary Girls' School reported that that morning the soldiers had entered the village and the girls had been terrified. She had gathered them all into the school. Fortunately the soldiers didn't enter the premises but searched the houses and arrested a few suspects. She showed us the view she has from the window of her office to the pillbox which was not manned, but which overlooks the road and prevents the children from throwing rocks on settlers' cars. When we left some men told us that the way we had used to come up, is actually only for soldiers.The entrance to El Khader was extremely busy, it looked as if there were even more taxis and buses than usual and two new stalls have been erected on the Western side of the earth mound doing brisk business. A sturdy roof is being installed where it had blown off from the place where people used to sometimes stay overnight. Vendors offered us their wares for free as a token of their appreciation. There was no BP in sight.On our way South we got stuck in a tremendous traffic jam at the Etzion Roundabout, the reason of which was not clear, since there were no soldiers in the vicinity. We continued to the Etzion DCO where about twenty people were waiting and only one window was manned. When we enquired we were told that Maher was on the premises, but not 'available'. None of the tel. numbers answered, but Yael didn't give up so easily and called Dalia Bassam and then Talila, the spokeswoman and the situation improved immediately. Azhar turned up and so did Maher and between the two of them most cases were taken care of. Three 'humanitarians', involving accompanying sick people received prompt positive replies. Those who proved to have security problems were referred to the Association for Civil Rights. Merchants who have been unable to get into Israel now have new instructions. They have to approach the Palestinian Coordination Office in Beth Lehem where a list of 10,000 approved merchants of the West Bank can get their permits. A man who lives in a refugee camp outside Beth Lehem and has a stainless steel firm claimed to have applied, but was told that since he does not live in Beth Lehem proper, he was not entitled to the permits issued there. We didn't await the verdict of Azhar.The Efrat CP was manned by a new group of soldiers and we waited about twenty minutes to go East and continued in the direction of Maaleh Amos, but then turned around. On the way back the Palestinians directed us past the queue over the white line on the road back towards Jerusalem. At the Southern entrance to El Khader (near Solomon's Pools) we saw tankers loading gasoline 'back to back' and some pedestrians with and without donkeys crossing the earth mound. The road across from the main entrance to El Khader was extremely crowded, since the army had just removed all taxis and buses, but they were already slowly returning, since the soldiers had left.At Bethlehem CP 300 the soldiers were amazed that we 'ambush' them both in the morning and in the evening. When asked re the upcoming elections they said Abu Maazen would win, but had heard nothing re special permits to facilitate voting and then asked us to move away. There were no detainees there and on Hebron Road neither.