Bethlehem, Tue 27.4.10, Morning

6:50 am, Bethlehem - Checkpoint 300: a very frustrating morning. We are greeted with harsh complaints. Long waiting time to pass and a situation of allowing the people to pass in waves. They are permitted to move for a time, then everything stops. And indeed it is clear at our end that there is a constant flow of people, then nothing and the soldiers wait for people to come to show their permits, etc. We make many phone calls, but the situation never did improve. Women also complained that the Humanitarian Line was not always open. Four checking stations are open.

 Two men from Jordan wanted to come in and had papers with a visa.  They were not permitted, so we asked for a policeman to look at their permits. The word was that he would be there shortly. The men waited and waited, but the policeman never arrived.