Bethlehem

This Sunday morning began with the
explosion (at approximately 5.45 AM) of a suicide bomber on an
Israeli bus in Jerusalem, which led to the killing of 7 passengers
and the wounding of approx. 20.

Etzion, 7.20 AM: 5 busses queued in the checkpoint compound, a very
rare scene given the extreme limitations on Palestinian movement.
The riddle was solved when we learned that the busses were
"stuck" at Etzion since the breaking of the news of the
Jerusalem suicide bombing. The first bus arrived before 6 AM, and
the rest followed at intervals of approximately 15 minutes between
each. Awaiting instructions, the soldiers (reservists, who are now
replacing the regular artillery unit) kept everyone in the busses.
By 7.30, people, especially those held inside the old unconditioned
vehicles, were growing tense and anxious. The soldiers began to
check IDs, but some 15 minutes later an order was received that
full, total closure is to be imposed. All people were ordered back
on the busses and all busses, 7 by now, turned back. Some of the
more determined passengers, however, managed to 'take advantage' of
the momentary disorder and to remain at the checkpoint. They now
gathered along the fence, preparing for a war of attrition, which
at first seemed totally hopeless. Each in his turn stepped out and
explained his situation to the soldiers: some are residents of
Bethlehem who have nothing to do in Hebron, others were students,
laborers, on their way for a check in hospital, and so forth. Each
in turn was rejected. Still, some of the sick obtained permission
to continue to hospital, and some of those residing in Bethlehem
were allowed to return home. Wanting to find out what happened with
the passengers and drivers that were sent back, we drove through
the Palestinian free zone that connects Etzion and Hebron. A too
familiar scene awaited us: bus and minibus drivers, forced off the
roads, killing time at the 1.5 meter-high pile of rubble, dirt and
garbage that blocks the road to the north- eastern entrance of
Halhul. Our acquaintances were not among them, however. We arrived
at Husan roadblock just in time to observe the imposing of some
kind of a curfew on this intersection and its vicinities. Several
dozens of soldiers and border policemen, and no less than 7 jeeps
and an armored carrier took part in this combative mission, which
consisted of evacuating Palestinian pedestrians and vehicles from
the zone. When they learned that we attempted to visit Al-Khadr
school, some soldiers became very hostile, one expressing the wish
that we will lose sons in terrorist attacks and threatening to slap
us.