Bethlehem (300), Fri 3.5.13, Morning
Bethlehem - Checkpoint 300, 9:00 - 11:00 AM:
Naomi Gal (Translating)
Only two stations are open and most of the time a line of Palestinians is formed. Twice during the shift a police officer stood in the gate separating the two stations and swiftly let ting the Palestinians pass after getting a glimps on their permits.
The rest of the time they had to wait for the tedious checking by the computer and press their finger for the biometric checking.
An ecumenical volunteer said it took her 35 minutes to pass.
The second time the police officer decided to speed things up at the checkpoint there were 14 women (a group of English-speaking guided by Yael) who clearly witnessed this circus, the power-games of occupation and the absolute helplessness of the Palestinians. Hence the supposedly humanitarian act aimed to expedite the passage and skip the usual checking makes them completely redundant and highlights to what point they only serve to devastate the occupied.