Etzion DCL, Tue 18.1.11, Afternoon

15:20 PM, Etzion DCL:  the parking lot was already overcrowded and in the extremely filthy waiting hall a crowd of 25 people pressed towards the turnstiles.

Behind them, at a counter, a soldier is supposed to sit and register the people, sending them to the soldiers in charge for their needs. But - there was nobody waiting for them. Some people told us that they are waiting since 6 AM, one man even since 5 AM. Most of them seemed to be there to receive a new magnetic card and just a few of them had an invitation for the security office – the Shabak.

Channah called a lot of numbers from our list. Either nobody was answering the phone or those who answered could hardly understand what we were describing. One even promised to send somebody within 15 minutes, but nobody came.  

There was a pastor who was ordered to the Shabak at 15:00 PM. It is already 16:00 PM and nobody let him in. 

At 16:20 PM a woman soldier came, moved the turnstile for the Pastor and 4 more persons (out of about 17 waiters). The soldier said: "that's it" and: "come again some other time", in spite of the announcement written that the DCL is open until 17:00 PM. The soldier put out the light.

All our protests were of no avail.

Because meanwhile it was too late we skipped our usual tour to the Bethlehem checkpoint.