Bethlehem, Etzion DCL, Tue 7.7.09, Morning

06:30 AM, Bethlehem Checkpoint: three checking posts were open, then two, then three again, then two, and then just one. The lines grew and diminished accordingly. At this point a police officer came out of the office, and when he saw the crowding, he ordered to open immediately more posts. Which proves yet again that leaving the management of the checkpoint to the good will of the soldiers is not the best of ideas, and that the presence of officers is essential.

All in all, this was not  a “bad” morning, and by 07:30 the line on the other side vanished too.

 08:30 AM, Etzion DCL: about 15 people were waiting. A man told us that his son, holder of a Palestinian ID, is married for 11 years now to a resident of Jerusalem. During the years, he had had to renovate every six months his permit to stay in Jerusalem. The last time he did so, three months ago, his permit was taken for “security checking” and was not returned to him since.