Beit 'Inun, Bethlehem, Etzion DCL, Mon 4.8.08, Morning

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Observers: 
Idit S., Haya O. (reporting)
Aug-4-2008
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Morning
Seriously? Does this make us safer?

  Southern Entrance to Jerico Checkpoint, Hussan, Beit Omar, Nabi Unis. 

6:45 AM, Bethlehem Checkpoint:
There were 6 active posts and the lines were short, when one line was empty another group was sent forth. The Palestinians heading out of the checkpoint reported that there were plenty of people on the Palestinian side and that the waiting time was of and average of two hours.
This has lately become the habit.

 
An officer from the DCL walked by the posts. Two months ago he told us that they always write to a person handing in a request for a magnetic card whether he is prevented passage by the GSS or police. He didn't believe that the request never specifies the classification of the denial. This time we showed him a request form that had been handed in two weeks before, on it was only written: "Return on the 13.8.08". We told the person who handed it in that we would find out what the problem was. When the officer saw the form he said:" It's common sense not tell him he is prevented passage. Say he is prevented passage by the GSS, do you expect us to tell him we are on to him? If I had anything to do with it I wouldn't tell anyone what type of prevention it was.  Another soldier came to us, he did a lot of work regarding requests for magnetic cards, he said: "We always let them know what prevention it is, we just don't write it down, we tell them", we asked: "Why not write it down? We meet plenty of people who don't know what is the classification of their prevention". The soldier: "They know".

7:30 AM, Hussan:
We handed in some police documents.
 8:00 AM: There are set days for each town at the DCL. There were about 40 people from Bethlehem. Those waiting said that it was the best way because all those who arrive there get treatment. Those who came on the day that wasn't theirs without knowing were bitter as they didn't get in.

8:15 AM, Beit Omar:
We met people who asked for advice regarding the police.
  8:30 AM, Beit 'Inun: As it is well know, it has been over half a year now since there a single poll has been place there, designed to draw the drivers attention that there is a pedestrian crossing there. They hadn't placed the poll that is meant to make it known to those coming form the other direction. The poll's lights worked miraculously for about a month, and now they have stopped working again. It has been more then a year now since we first started nagging about this crossing (on road 60) which divides Beit Anun in two. The girls school is on one side and the boys school on the other. The are therefore many children crossing that road, as well as students and people who wish to go to Hebron. Both entrances to the village are blocked. As you all know all those in the "high offices" were horrified to hear that children and people were crossing the high way, and they have been taking care of these light intensively for a year now. 
 

 9:00AM, Nabi Unis: We met some people at Nabi Unis, we took and handed in some documents regarding the police.
 

11:00 AM, Jerico Checkpoint: We headed to the Bikaa, to the DCL checkpoint by Jerico. During the last week we received many phone calls from that area, begging that we help them and make the passage of the cars faster since there were dozens of cars waiting for and average time of an hour or two in the heat. When we arrived there were only a few cars there.

We went to DCL which is just outside of the checkpoint. In front of the turnstile was a blind man accompanied by a woman and some children. They were from Jaffa and the man came to renew his permit which enables his wife (who is from Jerico) to stay at their house in Jaffa. They have been doing this for ten years now.

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