Al Nashshash, Bethlehem, Etzion DCL, Wed 30.4.08, Morning
6:40 Bethlehem: A closure
. Only church employees and people with special permits were allowed to pass. The lines were short and a few religious workers that came from Bethlehem passed and entered Israel. On the other hand there was a large group of Palestinian laborers, that had worked all night in Jerusalem and wanted to get home.
We tried finding out why they weren't allowed to pass. The soldier at the post said she called for the officer and that she would decide. The officer was in no hurry to arrive. Eventually the officer arrived and let them head back home.
7:40 El Nashash: There wasn't much traffic. No one came to us with problems.
8:00 Nabi Unis: No one came to us over there either.
8:30 Etzion DCL: The hall was full. About 80 people were waiting in line for the renewal of their magnetic cards. People complained that they had been waiting for many hours. One of them told us that he had been coming there for three days, waiting and not being able to enter. We called the officer Nevuani and asked him that he make the whole process faster. He came and spoke politely to us, he explained that it was crowded because a thousand cards had expired. There are only two computers so it all went slowly. According to him he had already informed the Palestinians in January that they would have to renew the cards in order to prevent this situation, "but they left it for the last minute". We offered several suggestions how to improve the situation, but they were not excepted.