Bethlehem, Etzion DCL, Nuaman (Mazmuria), Wed 25.8.10, Afternoon

Nuaman - Mazmuria Checkpoint: at the car CP in front of Nuaman we stopped and asked for permission to enter the village. The soldier whom we addressed said that we definitely cannot go there. Only after we told him we have been there many times, did he ask his superior who consented.

As usual there was no one outside but we were impressed by the change that took place in the maintenance of houses and gardens. Everything looked as if it had been renovated. A very old and deserted house had been cleaned and it seems awaiting new tenants. Also other houses looked clean and newly whitewashed. The gardens look cared for and many have new fences. Is all this in order to prove to the settlement of Har Homa that the villagers don't intend to give up their real estate?

Etzion DCL: We drove along the Nokdim road and from there to road 60 and to the DCL. At the parking lot stood some cars and in the waiting hall sat four men. Six more were hunching at the turnstile. The soldier in the window did not seem to see them until we shouted to get his attention. After that he opened the turnstile which screeched loudly as if for a very long time its hinges have not been oiled. The men on the benches have all been ordered to the Shabak. We spoke to two of the, father and son from Hebron.
 

The son, studying abroad, had been summoned by the Shabak when he crossed the Allenby bridge on his way from Amman.  He was summoned for 3 but not called until 4:30.  The father was somewhat nervous lest they fail to return home for the meal concluding the fast.  After the son was called in we left to reach Bethlehem - Checkpoint 300 at the hour when the workers come home from work.

Bethlehem - Checkpoint 300: at the tunnel CP stood a very large group of Palestinians who had been taken off a large bus and were being checked one by one.  We were unable to stop because we were in another lane and the traffic was flowing.

It seems that during Ramadan workers come home earlier.  Not a single worker to be seen -- only tourists returning from Bethlehem.  On the road near the CP we met a Jordanian tourist who had come to learn the truth about whatever is going on in the territories.  He was impressed by our identifying tags, but explained that there were more checkpoints and blockages in Jordan that he had seen here.