Bethlehem, Wed 18.11.09, Morning

06:30 AM, BethlehemCheckpoint: nothing new at Bethlehem CP – terrible crowding on the Palestinianside, nice orderly short lines on our side. And then suddenly people would flowin and long lines would form. For some reason, the entrance is blocked, andthen opened again, causing havoc. We could hear shouts of anger from overthere. At a certain point we saw a police officer going there, and from then onpeople kept coming in. By 08:00 the CP was empty both sides. Maybe the presenceof a person of authority at the critical points in the CP can alleviate somehowthe pressure. But we see such persons quite rarely.