checkpoints of Mazmoria, Abedalla, Etzion DCL

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ענת טויג וחנה בר"ג (מדווחת)
Aug-14-2019
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Morning

We left Talpiyot (Jerusalem) at 7 a.m. on road 60 until we got to the junction with the “Lieberman Road” – 398 – and turned towards Umm Tuba and Mazmuriya. At Mazmuriya checkpoint traffic flowed unhampered. All the access roads to the villages near the road are closed. Red road signs abound, warning Israelis not to enter the Palestinian areas. We turned towards South Efrat at the first southern junction leading to Herodion, and continued towards the Abdallah Ibrahim checkpoint gate, at the south entrance to Efrat. We had a bit of trouble finding the entrance to this checkpoint as it remains unseen by the traveler on the road, but after asking and relying on our own orientation we finally found the place. Unlike our last visit here, we were welcomed nicely and managed to hold a conversation with a representative of the private firm operating the checkpoint.

The Abdallah Ibrahim checkpoint checkpoint is used only by construction workers. In view of the massive expansion of Efrat settler-colony, the number of 1000 workers crossing every morning sounded reasonable. The private firm employee knew that this checkpoint is directed by the Efrat security official. He claims that the workers have work permits. Later we met a worker on his way to the checkpoint and asked him whether he had a permit. He showed us the work permit he bought from a permit-contractor at a steep price. Last time we came to this checkpoint at the time (7 a.m.) when Palestinian workers cross it, and witnessed the “slave market” that takes place here. Contractors “sell” each other workers and craftsmen. The workers come mainly from the surrounding villges and are spared the detour through the Bethlehem checkpoint. Efrat’s eastward expansion is only one part of a broader plan to create a territorial continuum between the Etzyhon bloc and the Dead Sea area, crossing the occupied territories and thus preventing any kind of contiguous Palestinian control in the West Bank.

We returned to road 60 and drove to the Etzyon DCO. The  car-park was full to bursting. A mass of people waited at the entrance. We hear that they have been there for hours. The sun beats down and heat is unbearable but there is no kind of shade for those waiting outside the structure. The terrible crowding led to the DCO’s placing a soldier at the entrance to the waiting hall in order to maintain ‘order’.

We asked people waiting there about the new cars we saw at the car-park and heard what we had already known, that the Palestinians working inside Israel earn a lot more (by Palestinian standards) and can afford to buy better vehicles. No news to our ears, to what extent the State of Israel exploits Palestinians’ work inside the country.

We were about to leave but the DCO commander noticed our presence and we talked. We asked/complained about the unreasonable crush. Here’s his explanation: 400 magnetic cards are issued daily. Tuesdays have become a workday too, until pressure is reduced. For “efficiency”’s sake permits will cease to be paper ones and the entire process of being issued permits will take place via the magnetic card by computer, without needing to show up at the DCO offices. ‘The Second Coming’… As usual, they forgot to mention that all of this will apply only to the fortunate few who are not blacklisted and prevented entry into Israel proper. According to the commander all of this has been explained to the Palestinians in due time, but they preferred to wait till the last moment – well, who knows if that’s true…

Hebron DCO offices are closed for renovations and will be re-opened at an unknown date. In the meantime Palestinian residents of Hebron increase pressure on the Etzyon DCO. The toilets are filthy – we’re told they’ll be taken care of. When??? No answer.
We also met the policeman who inquired we are and then made it very clear that “he doesn’t like us”!

At the Etzyon Bloc roundabout all army positions are manned by men armed to the teeth – in this horrible heat this is certainly not easy, perhaps not even necessary?...