Bethlehem, Etzion DCL, Thu 16.7.09, Afternoon

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Place:

Bethlehem (300)

Observers:

Shlomit S, Yael S (reporting)

Jul-16-2009

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Afternoon

Etzion DCL: we arrived a little after 14.00.

It was written on the waiting-room notice-board that the DCL is closed at 16.00 PM on Thursdays. Ravi, the officer in-charge, was in the reception area. In the reception window the soldier was sometimes there and sometimes not. The DCL commander was not in the DCL, but he answered my telephone-call and gave me the telephone number of Ravi, who dealt with all the problems that I raised :
             -People waiting for the GSS
            - People who waited for a long time to receive a magnetic card
           - People who arrived late (after 15.00)

Only one out of the three magnetic–card stations was operating, due to a computer problem which was apparently solved while we were in our usual break at Beit Ummar.

Among those waiting for the GSS there was a young man whose details I have, who arrived for interrogation today, but the interrogator summoned him to appear again next week. According to him, when he told the interrogator that he begged to return not less than a week after his wedding and not just two days after it, the interrogator told him “get out of here!” and didn’t take any notice of his request.

As usual, I shall try to get this unjust treatment annulled , and probably do it via the DCL commander.

Two more Palestinians had a problem with their finger-print examination in the past. One of them said that he renewed his personal details at the DCL, and three days later his finger-print examination again failed. Since there may be a problem of software limitations, I gave him my telephone-number so that he can contact me in the event that the problem returns after his new magnetic card is issued.

A worker who goes through the Tarkomia checkpoint had a similar problem, and he also succeeded in getting my permission to telephone me “even if he is turned back at 04.00 AM”.

People who arrived after 16.00 PM were refused entry, except for a man whose twenty-year old son had run away from home and from his studies. The man had been called-in by telephone in order for the captain to question him, and it was a bit of a problem to get permission for him to enter.

We didn’t manage to get to Rachel’s crossing.

Location Description

Bethlehem (300)

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Located adjacent to the Separation Wall ("Jerusalem Wrap") at the north entrance to Bethlehem, this checkpoint cuts off Bethlehem and the entire West Bank from East Jerusalem, with all the serious implications for health services, trade, education, work and the fabric of life. The checkpoint is manned by the Border police and private security companies. It is an extensive infrastructure barrier and is designated as a border terminal, open 24 hours a day for foreign tourists. Israeli passport holders are not allowed to pass to Bethlehem, and Palestinian residents are not allowed to enter Jerusalem, except those with entry permits to Israel and East Jerusalem residents. Israeli buses are allowed to travel to Bethlehem only through this checkpoint.

The checkpoint, which demonstrated harsh conditions of crowding and extreme passage delays for years, started employing advanced electronic identification posts and has upgraded its gates info-icon

' system as of the middle of 2019 - and conditions improved.

Adjacent to the checkpoint, in an enclosure between high walls and another passage, is the historic Rachel's Tomb, which is now embedded within a concrete fortified building. It contains prayer and study complexes for Jews only, as well as a residential complex.

updated November 2019

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Etzion DCO

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serves residents of Bethlehem and surrounding villages who need magnetic cards, work permits for Israel, permits for one-time entry for religious or health reasons, various police permits, etc.