ETzion DCO, Wallege, BEthlehem, el Khadr, Beit Jala

Bethlehem and Surroundings Observers: Daniella G., Ronit S. (reporting) Suheir (guest), Etzion DCO:Relatively empty, only about a dozen people came in an out during the hour or so we were there. Windows 1 and 2 open.An officer told us that less Palestinians come because there is better cooperation with the Palestinian DCO in Bethlehem. Forms and requests are being handed over by the DCO without the people having to come in.A merchant from Bethlehem who needed to go to Ashdod for business was not given a permission to enter Israel (if I remember correctly, he told us that in the past he had no problem attaining permissions). “If they don’t give it to me, I’ll just enter illegally; what can I do?” he said. Really, What can he do.Two men who came to renew their magnetic cards said they received them immediately.A woman who came to get a permission to go with her daughter to a hospital in Jerusalem (to treat some strange rash) waited for an hour and a half. We called the people at the window, who said an officer needs to come and sign it. We called him, and were told that he is on the way. Ten minutes later the woman received the permit – but only for one week, though she said she brought with her documents showing that the treatment would take three months.A youngster who came to ask for permission to enter Jerusalem and visit his ailing father was denied permission because he didn’t have documents from the hospital. The DCO told him to have the hospital fax it to him, then bring it to the Palestinian DCO for approval and then return to Etzion.Looking at the DCO’s signpost board –which is mainly covered with orders from OC Central Command Kaplinsky about confiscation of lands “for urgent security needs” – we discovered the following notice, written in Arabic: “Dear Palestinian mother, there are people who will approach your young and innocent son and promise him the world if he would go an target Israelis… Don’t let these wicked people harm your son; they will grow rich from his deeds, while he will return to you in bits.” The notice wasn’t signed, any idea who the writer is?Perhaps the most frustrating part was the soldier stationed at the top, who sat there with his window closed and time and time again ignored our shouts. We also tried some loud whistles, but to no avail.Wallege: In a short tour of the village we learned that two days before there was a manned roadblock at the entrance to the village. When we got there we saw the big blocks used for the roadblock, but it was open and there were no soldiers in sight. A local told us that the authorities came and destroyed several hencoops, but no houses.Beit Jala checkpoint, Bethlehem checkpont (300), El-Khader: Same old story.