Bethlehem (300), Fri 1.3.13, Morning

 Bethlehem - Checkpoint 300:
9:00 to 10:45

Naomi Gal (translating)

Compared to last week fewer people arrived at the checkpoint. Maybe they were worried about extra blockades due to the marathon.

According to one of the ecumenical lady volunteers only one sleeve is open on Bethlehem’s side of the checkpoint, but there aren’t that many people and all in all the passage took her 25 minutes.

The children again. To our delight many young children arrived today, they are still allowed to pass without special permits. But some parents were reprimanded for having a work permit and “one doesn’t take the kids to work” and two were even sent back because the children were between 8 and 9. But today of all days, some six years old found themselves marching to Jerusalem due to the fact that someone decided to exercise some common sense.  
It was still cold but there were many more smiles than there were a week ago.