Bethlehem, Thu 6.8.09, Morning

5:20 AM, Bethlehem - Rachel's Crossing:  when we arrive, we see that people have already crossed the checkpoint. 5 checking posts are open.. There are long queues, but people pass quickly. After 6:00, from time to time, the crossing from the Palestinian side, is stopped – we do not know the reason.

An Italian couple tell us that they started the queue on the Palestinian side at 4:30 and got to the Israeli side only at 6:00; queues and pressure on the Palestinian side are great.

Towards 7:00, still are people crossing but without pressure.

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