Beit Ummar, Bethlehem, Etzion DCL, Mon 13.6.11, Morning

  ETZION DCL CLOSED TWO DAYS

7.00 am,  Bethlehem – Checkpoint 300:  a steady stream of workers.  All say that conditions are good today.

7.50 am,  Etzion DCL: twenty people waiting outside, with a list ready. At 8.00, two soldiers (officers) arrive, open the door but announce that there will be no magnetic cards issued today or tomorrow – to the chagrin on all those waiting. According to the soldiers, the Palestinian DCL had been informed a month ago. But if our authorities knew already a month ago, why hadn’t this been publicized here?

 (Later, on our return we saw inside a small notice saying that the DCL would be closed on 13.6-14-.6, except for humanitarian issues – but this was put up only very recently.)

Also, there was no police officer at either the Etzion or Hebron DCL today – and probably tomorrow. We were given different reasons by different people in charge! At any rate, Chaya has good reason to advise people to check with her in the morning before going to the police, so as not to waste their time. She had to tell a few people who phoned during the morning that there was no police officer on duty – and some of them let out their frustration on her.

Later in the morning, two men from south Hebron were waiting to retrieve their tractor that had been confiscated.

A man approached us for help in getting a permit to accompany his wife and their child who was to have tests at Hadassah in the afternoon. The wife from Hebron had a permit, but she couldn’t handle the language and other problems. He, from Bethlehem, had no permit. We contacted the (army) Moked who took details and said they would contact the DCL. Chaya gave him her phone number in case he needed further help.

A prearranged meeting to help a man get back the deposit he had had to pay by Court order.  Chaya arranged to enquire at the Beit El office.

     Beit Ummar:   a young man asked for help about a permit but as we couldn’t handle the language problem, Chaya gave him her phone number so that his Hebrew-speaking father could phone her.

A couple of requests by men refused permits by Security – which we referred to Sylvia.