Etzion DCL, Mon 14.2.11, Afternoon

Etzion DCL, 14:15 pm: some 30 persons are waiting in the hall.  We are told that 10 are waiting inside, 6 for magnetic cards the rest for entrance permits to Israel and for Shabak (General Security Service). The pace was very slow. Those first out said they had come at 6:30 a.m..

Between 14:20 and 15:00 pm - only four emerged.  We called the Humanitarian Centre.

  At 14:45 pm  those still waiting were told that the DCL would close at 15:00.  No one bothered to explain why.  We called the Centre who checked the reason: we were told that the soldiers had some "activity" on, and a notice about the change had been posted. This was an obvious lie: there was no such notice.

A female officer arrived to lock the doors. The frustrated public tried to voice their complaints and to persuade her not to close.  A student of several years at a Jordanian university tells her he had come home to visit his family and wishes to return to his studies, but is not permitted to leave the country because he refused the Shabak's request that he become a collaborator on his return to Jordan. The officer tells him to put in a request and perhaps after 2-3 months he may be allowed to leave. He says he can't wait that long lest he forfeit the entire school year. This argument has no effect and the officer repeats that she was "giving him a piece of advice."  Others also addressed her and after a while she agreed to allow them to return the next day rather than in a week, and promised they'd be taken care of.  We helped them make up a list of names that was given to the officer.

 After the hall was closed, those inside came out one by one.  A woman told us that her daughter is hospitalized in Jerusalem, about to undergo a C-section, and that she (the mother) asked for a permit to stay with her daughter for three days.  She was given only two. On what grounds was such a decision taken, other than the exercise of authority and power on the part of the decider?  Again we called the Humanitarian Centre and apparently through their efforts it was decided to review the woman's request. We waited outside with the woman, and after a while she received her permit for three days.