Etzion DCL, Tue 19.6.12, Afternoon

2.45 PM, Etzion DCL:  a steady stream of people applying for magnetic cards or permits.  The woman soldier at the window seemed to speak fluent Arabic, so there was not the usual barking of orders. A man from Jaba [Lil] could not renew his magnetic card because he was listed as from Bethlehem and today was not ‘the Bethlehem day’.  His companion who speaks fluent Hebrew tried to explain that he had forgotten the little extra form attached to his ID card, which gives his residence as Jabb’a – and that surely this appeared on the computer?  After a few attempts to make contact (through a helpful woman soldier), we spoke to the soldier involved.  He said that only Bethlehem was listed on the computer and that the officer in charge would not allow the renewal today – not even as a gesture (it was a quiet day).  The officer himself was not available for appeal. Now the man will have to miss a few days’ work as he can’t enter Jerusalem until his card is renewed.
Meanwhile it turned out that his companion has been banned from entry to Israel by Security, but has never taken any steps to remedy this.  So we gave him Sylvia’s phone number.