Bethlehem CP 300, El Khadr, ETzion DCO, Beit Omar,Humanitiraian CP, Beit Jala

Bethlehem and vicinity, Wednesday PM, 2.2.05Observers: Ronit S., Daniela G. (reporting)Hebron Rd. – 14:45: 2 BP soldier girls are detaining a Midi-bus on its way to Bethlehem. One of the girls is holding the IDs of all the passengers, the other is making a list. The one with the IDs gets into an argument with a father and his two daughters. When the younger daughter (14 yrs. old) makes a wry face at not being believed that some kind of document is hers, the soldier girl starts telling her off heatedly, “disciplining” the frightened girl, on the verge of tears, in a most humiliating tone. Intervention form us lures the aggression and rudeness towards us. However, within seconds thereafter the IDs are returned and everyone is surprisingly released. DCO Etzyon – 15:15: Some 15 people in the shed. Both the window for magnetic cards and the one for permits are manned. Once again a young man has been waiting for the GSS since morning, but to our amazement a few minutes later he is called in for investigation without our having to intervene. The nephew of a man hospitalized in Jerusalem cannot obtain a permit to relieve his cousin by the uncle’s bedside. A young man applying for a magnetic card for the first time is refused with no explanation. Others do get their long hoped for card and the process is rather quick. As for permits, we are told that since last November (Arafat’s death?) merchants are rarely granted any. Beit Omar – 16:00: The entrance to the village is open, even the pillbox does not seem to be manned.The Humanitarian CP (at the turning to rd. 35) – 16:15: Closed, no one in sight except a hand sticking out of the pillbox, shooing us away.El Kahdre – 16:30: The regular traffic jam, no army presence.Bet Jalla CP – 16:35: Vehicles in both directions but checking is fast. One of the soldiers is more than willing to communicate, another demands that the conversation (more like shouting) take place with us far off on the other side of the street. Bethlehem CP 300 – 16:45: Very few cars in both directions, 3 pedestrians go through easily. One soldier yells a friendly greeting from the other side of the CP. Another, a rather talkative one, comes over and in a very amicable manner requests we move back behind the metal bars.