Beit OMar, Etzion DCO, El Khader

DCO Etzion, Beit Omar, El Khader, Monday, 27th December, 2004, PMObservers: Shlomit, S., Noa A.Y., Littal Y (reporting)13:15 – 16:30We went directly to the Etzion DCO. On the way we saw there was no army or BP at El Khader.We arrived at the DCO at 13:30 – just as it was lunch break. Approximately 25 people were waiting, all for a magnetic card.Shlomit was on a mission from Chaya – she met a Palestinian who gave her money and his ticket to pay in Jerusalem (it was the last due date)..Lunch break ended at 14:00, but no one was called to the windows. We phoned Motti who said he was unaware of the line and would take care of it. Indeed, immediately 3 windows were opened, alas only one took care of magnetic cards, and the other two, whose business was permits remained unutilized. We called Motti once again, to enquire whether it was possible to be more efficient, but were told they had only one machine that can issue magnetic cards. However, he promised that all those who were waiting would be taken care of today. We may only hope that was so.From there we continued to Beit Omar. We stopped at the grocery and were approached by a young woman who pleaded with us to come in. Apparently she is an English major at Hebron University and is very eager to practice her English. She was genuinely surprised to learn we were Israeli. We sat with her family on the balcony and drank tea and coffee. She told us she went through Halhul CP everyday and went through a body check. We sat for a while and left after promising to come again.On the way back, around 16:00 we stopped at El Khader, which was bustling with taxis, buses and peddlers. Still no army or BP. Piles of black gravel stones in the parking lot were standing, probably intended for covering slightly the puddles and slippery mud.We hurried back to Jerusalem, in time to pay the ticket before the post offices closed.