Bethlehem, Nabi Yunis, Tue 28.4.09, Afternoon

Bethlehem and Surroundings: Yom ha Sikaron,  Illit R., the other permanent member of the shift, had to travel abroad all of a sudden. So our experienced driver and me were alone. I decided in this situation to observe some checkpoints which usually are not on our agenda and leave Bethlehem - Checkpoint 300 and the Etzion DCL.

We first drove to Nabi Yunis. 
15:00 PM, Nabi Yunis: there is a big red  board put up, saying that Israelis are not allowed  to enter the area of the Palestinian Authority.
I guess that on their territory only the Palestinians are in charge of forbidding or allowing Israelis to enter their territories.
Due to International law  the Israeli army has no right to limit  my movement in the occupied territories except in a moment where the security of the army is in question. We did not drive in the forbidden direction, but should  we really follow this illegal order?

There is a small open hut besides the street. We had tea there and were talking a bit with the Palestinians. Soldiers were not visible. They might have been in the tower. 

Allon Shwut: on our way back we saw two soldiers checking a yellow Palestinian taxi at the crossroad. Before we could come closer they finished their checkup and let the people go.

Marmurea: this is a checkpoint on the settler's road to Herodion. There are in both directions bars let down, which are only pulled up after the soldiers had a look on the driver and inmates. We were passing the checkpoint in both directions. On our way back at 15:45 pm we saw that the soldiers did send back a car with Palestinian numbers.