Morning

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20/02/2003
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06:40 AM We arrived at the Etzion Junction and introduced ourselves to the soldiers, regulars from the parachutes, we think. Two jeeps arrived, with some more young soldiers. The whole lot of soldiers took a picture together. The vehicles departed and the remaining soldiers checked the Arab passengers from the coming buses and the people coming through in private cars. All men over under forty had to get off the bus and line up to have their papers inspected. Older men, women and children were allowed to remain in the buses.There was a one young man wo was detained and stood near the fence, in addition to 4 more young men who did not have permits and were sent away after about 20 minutes. The young man (Halil) was detained (from 05:00 AM he said) because he did not have a permit, and was told to go back to his village. Instead, he tried to evade the soldiers and go to work. He was caught, his ID was taken and he was detained, so "that he will learn the lesson and not do it again. He keeps doing it all the time" the soldiers said. It was bitterly cold and windy. After about an hour he was still there and it began to rain, at first lightly and then more heavily. We requested several times to let him go, and at first they said that they had instructions to detain him, but as soon as the rain started to come down heavily and after some more nagging from our side they let him go (at 07:45 AM). I and E then went to the Beit Lehem roadblock. There were cars trying to pass the roadblock, coming from and going to Bethlehem. The traffic from Bethlehem seemed to move at a reasonable pace, while the cars from Jerusalem to Bethlehem were queuing. There were no people passing when we were there The soldiers were not familiar with Machsomwatch and obviously did not have a clue why we were there at that weather - cold rain, hail and wind. We left at about 09:15 AM.