Morning

Etzion junction at 7.15, appeared altogether empty of Palestinian presence . No sign of busses, no sign of cabs, not even of detainees. Driving past the checkpoint in the direction of al-Arroub refugee camp (South), we were soon to observe a group, numbering between 15 and 20 Palestinian workers, who were attempting to try their luck through the thin forest, to the east of Etzion. We continued to the southern entrance to al-Arroub where, to our right, we noticed a soldier kneeling and pointing his gun in the direction of al-Arroub children who were waiting to get on their school bus (heading to the secondary school in Beit Omar). Why are you pointing your gun, we asked the soldier, who replied unhesitantly: "I am not pointing it at you, I am pointing at the Arabs". Heading back to Etzion, we met another group of frustrated workers, several of them holders of precious work permits, who were not allowed to continue on their way to Bethlehem. 50 meters to the north, behind the fence to the east of the military post, we could already spot the fresh detainees who were caught during the brief interval of our absence. The changing weather (summer-like Saturday collapsing into a winterish Sunday) caught them unprepared, and now, shivering with cold, they pleaded that we help them regain hold over their confiscated IDs. Additional pedestrians arrived at the checkpoint and joined the detainees at the fence. The Palestinians started showing all sorts of documents as testimonies for the purpose of their journey, only to be shouted at and refused. One, a doctor who works at the Yamama medical center (El-Khadr village), carried a Civil Administration permit specifying that he is allowed to move at times of closure and curfew in his capacity as member of a medical rescue team. The permit expired on March 10th and the doctor did not yet have a chance to renew it. Luckily, a family carrying a three year old daughter suffering from pneumonia was allowed to continue on their way to Caritas hospital in Beit Jala. We gave them (parents and another relative and child) a ride to El-Khadr roadblocks. On the way they told us about their morning journey from Tzurif, the village where they live, to Etzion. Had there been no roadblocks, they could have used the direct road that connects Tzurif to Gush Etzion, and cover the distance in less than 15 minutes. With things as they are, they had to use a dirt road connecting Tzurif to Beit Omar, leave their car there and then start their journey to Etzion through the checkpoints, with fear and uncertainty accompanying each stage.We met with the district director of the Palestinian Authority's Ministry of Education. Speaking fluent Hebrew, the director, Mr. Abdallah Shakarneh, approached the soldier suggesting that they allow us to proceed with the meeting inside, but the request was refused. We therefore held our meeting right there, in front of the jeep, near the roadblock that blocks the eastern entrance to the school. All that time - approximately 40 minutes - the soldiers in the jeep were staring at us with a half cowish half stunned expression on their faces.