Bethlehem, Etzion DCL, Mon 22.6.09, Afternoon

14.00 PM, Etzion DCL: the soldier is at the window, but the announcement system is appallingly loud!  It shouts and screams, assaults one’s eardrums non-stop. Two people, who arrived after 12.00 are waiting for the GSS, and one more is waiting for someone who is being interrogated. Five people arrive, three for magnetic cards, and two for the police.  But there is no policeman there . 

Shlomit phones to Maher, but there is no answer (“your call is being transferred to the answering service”).  She then tried the office of the Iosh police-station, and a clerk answers. Then, what a miracle, a policeman appears who ”has been in an officers’ meeting since about 14.00” ! A young man who has been in a GSS interrogation comes out ; “ This is my first time” he says.   “they photograph you when you enter”, the other two who are waiting tell him. After another three-quarters of an hour we leave and go to Beit Ummar, where the family has grown, and life is continuing with the normal difficulties. 

16.30 PM, Bethlehem - Rachel’s Crossing:  we do not enter because there are no people queuing outside, so we make a U-turn and return to Jerusalem.