Bethlehem, Etzion DCL, Nabi Yunis, Wed 31.12.08, Morning

  :Rahel Checkpoint: the rain got the line out side to vanish at once, as people were rushed in side. The ecumenical person told us that from what they heard the checkpoint was open at 5:10, and the soldiers where polite towards those passing, they hadn't yet come across courtesy. "It's as though the soldiers got specific orders regarding their behavior".  At the entrance we saw a large board put up by the Ministry of Tourism, on it were greetings for the three holidays: El Adha, Hanukah and Christmas. New plants were decorating the passage. We ran into a very rude security man: "get out of my sight. I'm the commander here and I have the authority to make any decision that I wish". He wouldn't give us his name, just said that he had a Golani hat and that he had killed many of people before, and specifically mentioned that he had killed a fourteen year old Palestinian boy.  We called the police, they passed or call from one officer to another and then finally said they were sending a policeman over there before whom we can place a complaint. After a short while a policeman called us and referred us to another policeman who is based at Rahel checkpoint, he said we should go to him with whatever problems we have. The officer's name is Dudu and his phone number is 5694017.We called him and the officer came to us. The security man had already disappeared but we said all that we had to and Dudu told us he would speak to the security man (we'll have to see about that). He also said not to call him, but to ask that one of the soldiers contact him for us.  People passing complained that both the machines that read hand prints (at posts to the lest) weren't working. We couldn't check. 

Etzion DCL:  we didn't stop at Al Nashshash since we got caught us at Rahel checkpoint. We arrived at the DCL afet 8 AM. There weren't many people outside because of the cold and the rain. The number of chairs at the waiting hall keeps declining. There weren't many people either. The weather was terrible. It was foggy and the roads were slippery. There were about three accidents. Ambulances arrived, the police and military vehicles.  

Nabi Yunis:  it was cold and windy, the coffee house nearly got blown away.