Bethlehem CP 300, El Khader, Etzion DCO, Biet Jala

Bethlehem and surroundings: Dec. 5,05 AMObservers:Rahel, Margalit,Maya B. (reporting)Limor (a Canadian who works at the Jerusalem Report) guest 6:30We went to the Bethlehem C.P.300 it was very quiet. We are not allowed to come near the C.P. a B.P. soldier in a jeep, shows us where we belong, which is at the far end of the installation. Very few cars going in either direction. A bus with women from Bethlehem who work in the Jerusalem area goes through easily. Men are standing in line, we can not tell how many, and are let through after a routine identity card check. We do not see where they come out. Across the road are about 12-15 detainees. We ask to talk to the commander of the C.P. and a nice young man by the name of M. comes to talk to us, and also lets the detainees move into the covered area, since it is very cold and raining. He said these were not his detaineess, but from another unit, and that he will look make sure that they are checked and released and allowed to go in either direction, depending on their status.We move on to Beit Jalah. It is very cold. We only see cars moving in both directions at the C.P. and some girl students, walking across. We see no one being stopped. A men with some small children in his car tells us that in the village of Walagah, where he lives, the army(?) told them last night that they can not use their taxies or buses now(for how long?) and the children have to walk to school in the rain if the families do not own a private car. On the road to El Khader there is a very long line of both Israeli and Palestinien cars, who are diverted towards Jerusalem, via Beith Jalah and Wallagah. The tunnel is closed in the direction of Jerusalem and the line is enormous. We continue to Etzion D.C.O. where the windows are opened at 8:00 sharp, including the police window. There are very few people , less then 10. We are told that things now move much faster, and that they try to give them the magnetic card as well as a licence or even an identity card on the spot. We drive back by joining the huge line of cars,and find out that the tunnel was blocked by a lorry, and by the time we get there, after 35min. it reopened. Nothing at El Khader, when we just look in.