Bethlehem, Etzion DCL, Tue 25.5.10, Afternoon

General:  Toilet facilities (lack of) at checkpoint.

3.15 pm,  Etzion DCL: three young men were waiting for the window to open.  Two had been summoned by Security and said they were being kept waiting 3 hours.  We phoned and the window opened immediately.  Soon afterwards all three came out, one man said he was satisfied.  The two ‘invited' by security were told to come again next day.

4.30 pm,  Bethlehem - Checkpoint 300:  there were two long lines of workers waiting, being directed by a sole ‘private' guard. Only three checking points were functioning. We called to ask if more posts could be opened but, in fact, the lines disappeared rapidly and this did not prove necessary.

Our visitor needed a toilet and so we approached the guard to ask for use of one. He said there were no lavatories at the checkpoint. And what about at the other end (our visitor had a foreign passport and so could have gone through)?  No, he said, there were no lavatories there, either!  This didn't come altogether as a surprise (though we thought he might invite our foreigner to use staff facilities) but it is useful to be reminded of such features now and again.