Bethlehem, Etzion DCL, Wed 2.12.09, Morning

06:30 AM, Bethlehem - Checkpoint 300:  not bad on either side. Four checking posts were open and passage wasquite quick. But - and there are always “buts” at Bethlehem CP - when someonehands in a document that for some reason needs more profound checking, thewhole line freezes; no more checking until the matter is clarified. So in a fewminutes a long nervous line forms. This happened in two separate lines. And thena computer crushed. While the soldier tried to fix the problem people stoodobediently and waited, no one dared, of course, to switch lines. Apparently,the problem could not be fixed. With no explanation to the people in the nowquite long line the soldier got up and left the post. People still stood, notknowing what they should do. Finally we advised them to go to another line.