BEthlehem CP 300, Rd. 60, El Khader, Beit Jala, Etzion DCo

Bethehlehem and environs Dec. 26, 04 A.M. Observers: Malka A., Ada G. (Reporting)Sunday, the morning after Christmas pretty quiet07:25 Beit Jala DCOLight traffic07:40 El KhaderLively bus and cab traffic. Few pedestrians.08:00 Beit OmarThe checkpoint is open.09:15 Navi YunisThere is no checkpoint on the road; a jeep is parked in front of the pillbox; traffic is usual.09:30 Etzion DCOTo our surprise more than 80 people are waiting. Only #10 in line is being received at the reception window. Two windows are working; the police window is closed until January 2, 2005. People are complaining about the pace in which the line is moving. In answer to our phone call, Azhar told us that the machine issuing magnetic cards has been broken, therefore the delay and slow movement. Now that the machine is fixed the pace will accelerate. We stayed at the DCO for a while to observe the progress of the line movement. Each person has been averaging 7 minutes at the window. People are received in groups of 4. Each group requires approximately half an hour. Simple calculation shows that 40 people require about 5 hours until the last ones are finished. What about the additional 40 who have already been waiting for hours? When will they be received at the window…if at all? We ask of the shifts to monitor the movement at the windows and report it. Can anything be done to change this situation? Is the suggestion that more soldiers work more windows to speed up the movement possible?The usual stories: A young woman, a nurse at Augusta Victoria hospital submitted a request for a magnetic card months ago. Now she is asked to submit new documents – why? There is no answer. A man whose daughter is undergoing medical treatment in Sha’arei Tzedek keeps receiving a one-day permit, time and again having to return to the DCO for a permit. When we left the DCO the number of people did not decrease; the list of those waiting exceeded 100, so what if meanwhile 12 people left?