Morning

Etzion Checkpoint - no Palestinian plated busses and minibuses - which according to the new "arrangement" are permitted to carry passengers from Halhul roadblocks to Al-Khader. Instead, several soldiers were chasing after several dozens of Palestinian pedestrians - day workers with permits, day workers without permits, students, medical patients, and others - who were trying to cross through an adjacent open field in an attempt to continue their journey northbound from a safer spot.The soldiers told the Palestinians that no one is allowed to cross in the direction of Bethlehem today, because of a general total and comprehensive closure to which the region is subjected, and that there will be no exceptions. None of the soldiers knew the reason for this order, however, and though they were there to enforce it, they did not seem too eager or enthusiastic about the job.Two young girls students from Halhul who study at Abu Dis college (an extension of Al-Quds University) were returning to Abu Dis after a weekend at home, packed with many bags and belongings. In the near absence of transportation, the journey to Etzion took them almost two hours (approx 15 kilometers) and now the soldiers refused to let them cross. The reserve soldiers manning the junction were surprisingly human. Believe it or not, one of them actually suggested that we complete our mission and bring the girls to their destination, adding : "and don't be angry on us...".