Bethlehem, Etzion DCL, Sun 20.7.08, Afternoon

Bethlehem, Rachel Crossing: We arrived on our regular Sunday.

15:00 PM Etzion DCL: There were more than 60 people waiting.

There is a computer problem at the DCL – again it may be the heat affecting them, and again crowds of people frustrated by it.

There was something of an improvement in the attitude of the soldier operating the turnstiles, and the Palestinians were clustering around the turnstiles as though it might help.

The driver of the taxi that is always there complains that for two hours now he has not had a full taxi. Livelihood compromised.

Shlomit tries every way to help all the Palestinians waiting since morning to get their magnetic cards. At 17:00 PM she again calls the Administration officer to get him to see some more people. There are 18 remaining: why shouldn’t they all get today?

Tadesa said that he is not prepared to receive more people, and at 17:30 PM the last one to receive a magnetic card from this shift comes out.

Apart from that, as usual there are blacklisted people who did not receive magnetic cards. The police post is closed because of bereavement, and the pressure is great because everyone needs to renew their cards, and in addition there are some who need every few months to renew fingerprints – and the capacity is 80 cards per day. Heavy pressure can be expected at the DCL in the coming months.