Bethlehem, Wed 16.9.09, Afternoon

Al-Khadir Night , Bethlehem (Palestinian side):  the first epiphany of the angel, is considered the night of judgement, when the fate of men is determined.
 
When we inquired what the special Checkpoint (CP) opening hours are going to be for the Holiday, we were told that the procedure governing the Ramadan Fridays would be in force from 14:00.

We arrived at 14:20 when pedestrian traffic was still reasonable. The fruit and vegetable stalls were still in place in the parking lot. The special inspection points installed for Ramadan at the far edge of the parking lot were not manned and the human traffic moved via the usual "cages". The humanitarian gate was closed and the entire crowd was congregated by the men's entrance. Gradually traffic increased and congestion ensued but the humanitarian gate remained shut. After requests to the powers that be on site and off the humanitarian gate was opened to serve the women. However, dozens of young women not allowed to cross stayed in the vicinity of the gate - hoping for a miracle that would enable them to get to pray in Jerusalem - and blocked the way to the older ones who were allowed through but couldn't reach the gate and to the few groups of tourists who were waiting to cross too. Pressure was mounting and it took time for the police and the civil administration to find a way to lift it. On the men's side the traffic was flowing and according to the report we have it took only half an hour for everyone to cross.

Only at 16:30 the stalls were cleared away, the additional inspection points opened and the pressure in the "cages" diminished and with it the overall tension all around.