Bethlehem, the Palestinian side - fourth Friday of Ramadan

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Observers: 
Pitzi Steiner, Hanna Barag (reporting) Translator:  Charles K.
Apr-14-2023
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Morning

Bethlehem, the Palestinian side - fourth Friday of Ramadan

From early morning I watched from my porch at home the very many buses heading toward the mosque.  That the occupied territories are still on Daylight Saving Time allows me to arrive later at the checkpoint.  As in previous weeks, and as it has been “forever,” worshippers for Rachel’s Tomb whisk through the Border Police checkpoint while we must park far away.  Buses filled with worshippers passed us as we walked to the checkpoint.

We crossed to the Palestinian side; no one took an interest in us.  Unlike last week, when the area was much emptier, today there are many worshippers.  “Pharoah’s army and its chariots” was fully present – units from every branch of the military.  Crossing went quickly – but only for those allowed through, of course.  Some of those stopped were send right back to Bethlehem – primarily very young men and those who appear on the occupation’s glorious blacklists.  We noticed some of them were directed to a path on the left that had been blocked the last time we’d observed here.  We went over to find out what was going on but couldn’t see anything.  Later the mystery became clear.  A line of young men, each grasping the shoulder of the one before him – exactly like photos of slaves being moved from place to place – escorted by soldiers armed head to toe – emerged from the area we were unable to see from where we stood.  They were brought through the iron gate in the evil wall to the “jorra” we’d already seen in the past.  They’ll sit there for a few hours until whoever is supposed to decide what to do with them will send them back to Bethlehem.  No prayers, no nothing…That’s how you treat people whose religious freedom you couldn’t care less about.

After about an hour we decided to leave.  We passed through the checkpoint.  Some crossed with only their magnetic card; others also showed ID cards.  Very many soldiers and police all around.  Again we saw the large posters from the Ministry of Tourism.  A slogan had been added: “Only 20 minutes away.”  The longest 20 minutes in the world…

We joined the people walking to the buses.  We wanted to pass them, as we had been able to do last time, but a cute Border Policewoman stopped us.  We explained who we were – but her commander wouldn’t allow us to cross there.  While we waited from her decision a car with two men and woman stopped. A voice sounded from within:  “Come, we’ll give you a ride to the car.”  We got in and discovered that our “saviour” was Yehuda Fuchs, the Israeli Central Region military commander, whom we already knew from our experiences in Hebron.  He, of course, knows Machsom Watch.  Our members in the south did all they could to ensure that.  According to him, “Everything’s moving well, smoothly” – and in fact, if you ignore the minor issue of religious freedom and basic human rights, everything really goes “smoothly” at the checkpoint.  When we mentioned religious freedom here’s what he said:  “I’m not able to pray in a foreign county’s synagogue either – in Amman, for example.”  There wasn’t time to respond because we’d reached our car.  “Thanks for the ride.” “See you around.”  The ways of the occupation are wondrous.

The statements from the Foreign Ministry and the government public relations office will undoubtedly declare we are the most compassionate, the most moral – allowing the Palestinians to worship at their holy place.  But they’ll forget to mention what  must be endured to reach it.