Bethlehem, Wed 3.2.10, Afternoon

15.30 

Bus loads of twenty or more workers returning home arrived and went through the inspection booths smoothly and quickly. The soldiers and policeman directed Palestinians efficiently. 

An older man was waiting for something or someone. He told us that his permit had been taken from him by one of the soldiers in the morning when he came for work and he was waiting for it to be returned as he had been promised. 

Eventually, after 40 minutes of waiting, of asking an officer, a policeman and a soldier, one permit was returned to him. But it turned out that the second permit was mislaid so there were more delays. Finally, after an hour, they found the permit and an officer explained politely that it was not the correct paper for entry to Israel. However, the man was allowed to go through.