'Atara, Bethlehem (300), Tue 3.1.12, Afternoon

---14:30-16:15-

Etzion DCO

When we arrived in the parking place 3 upper middle class cars were parked there  and one smaller but well kept vehicle with Palestinian plates. One young man (Palestinian?) asked me, who I am. After I had introduced myself with the word "Machsomwatch" he disappeared without saying a word.

There is nobody inside the waiting hall. The car owners or passengers seemed to be in the offices with the soldiers in charge. So there was nothing to do. We left.

Beit Ummar

We saw   observers balloon of the army, believing it stood over Beit Ummar. Because there had been disturbances by stone throwers over there, we wanted to have a look and drove to Beit Umar.

Meanwhile the balloon had disappeared behind clouds. Beit Umar was quiet. A lot of young men stood around, doing nothing. On our way we saw several army-vehicles.

We went back to the checkpoint Bethlehem via the road to the settlement Tekoa and the small checkpoint Har Huma. Meanwhile the clouds were gone and we observed 2 balloons over Gush Etzion.

Checkpoint Bethlehem

We saw that on our side "business is as usual"; there was no soldier around, there were groups of Palestinian workers and employees, very few foreigners  all heading home.

.

We left.