Bethlehem CP 300, El Khader, Etzion DCO

Bethlehem and surroundings, Thursday, 23rd December, 2004 AMObservers: Chava, S., Littal Y. (reporting)7:00 – 9:15On the way to Bethlehem CP we spotted a BP jeep and a few detainees near Tantur. We stopped to enquire and were told that they were caught without permit, and after signing the requested form will be sent back to the CP. After that we were ordered by the policeman "not to stand near his detainees."7:00 – Bethlehem CP 300 – a lone pedestrian, and few cars. No detainees. Tal Shikma himself approaches us and asks to talk to us near the watch tower. In answer to our questions he replies that the elections are nothing special in themselves – there are always special events – and those with specific permits relating to the elections will be let through. He assumes the permits are issued through the DCO's.Suddenly Azhar from the DCO arrives and informs Tal that workers from the Jerusalem municipality on one side and from Bethlehem municipality on the other side are expected to arrive in order to decorate the lampposts for Christmas. He himself (Azhar) is in a rush to be interviewed in the radio regarding the CP's [did anyone hear him?] . It seems that the high ranking officer at the CP is related to the forthcoming Christmas.7:30 – Beit Jalla – traffic flowing. In answer to our question the soldier replies that he has received instructions to let all cars through because of the forthcoming elections.7:40 – El Khader – no army or BP. One of the taxi drivers on the other side complains that everyday the soldiers come and take their ID's for a couple of hours.8:00 – Etzion DCO – The police window is closed as expected on Thursdays. A note from Maher informs us that he will be away from 26.12.04 till 30.12.04. In practice it means he will be away from 23.12.04 till 2.1.05.The place is clean, but Chava who attempts the toilets runs away in horror.Azhar arrives at 8:10 and begins the regular shouting from the rooftop at the waiting Palestinians (about ten), as though it were the most normal procedure of communication between a civil servant and citizens in need of services – shouting from a rooftop to people standing behind bars.Two windows are opened – one for permits the other for magnetic cards. The line is handled seemingly efficiently and some even manage to get what they came for. However, there are still the usual stories:- one man was caught without permit a long time ago and has a letter from Bet Shemesh police that his file has been closed, and he has also paid 20,000 shekels of fines and his lawyer was told that it has been cleared in the computer, however at the DCO they don't know about it. He complains bitterly that he has been coming everyday for months. We call Azhar, but his only piece of advice is that the man should come back after Maher's return. And then what? - another man who has a clearance from the police that his file has been closed was advised to come back next week. And then what?- a woman who works in Abu Dis was told to come and get her permit but now was told she had to wait for Captain Ami(?). She called him and he promised to arrive within 15 minutes. We didn't know who he was and left before his arrival.- a man was told to come pick up his permit but now was told that his employer had to come in person. He called his employer and was optimistically waiting for him.On the way back we spotted an army jeep and soldiers at El Khader but didn't stop.9:15 – we returned via Wallaje, where there were no cars or detainees.