Daily struggle of Palestinian workers at Checkpoint 300

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  • In Photos: Daily struggle of Palestinian workers at Checkpoint 300
    Nov. 24, 2017 8:00 P.M.
    http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?ID=779520

    Checkpoint 300 in Bethlehem, November 24, 2017. (MaanImages/ Nasser Lahham)

    BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — In the early hours of the morning, typically before dawn, hundreds of Palestinians in the southern occupied West Bank must endure long waits at the 300 checkpoint, one of the only access points Palestinians from the southern West Bank have to Jerusalem and Israel.

    Palestinians crowd into the cement- and metal-barred walkways, push through turnstiles, pass a metal detector, and show their IDs and permits to Israeli soldiers in order to travel to Israel for work . The process can at times take hours and cold winter temperatures coupled with hours of waiting time means frustrations are high.

    Checkpoint 300 was built in 2005 two kilometers inside of the green line, despite rulings by the International Court of Justice that the separation wall was deemed illegal in 2004.

    High numbers of Palestinians, especially construction laborers, cross through the checkpoint every day, facing frequent overcrowding and often waiting for hours in line due to Israeli security measures.

    Israel maintains severe restrictions on Palestinians’ freedom of movement through a complex combination of fixed checkpoints, flying checkpoints, roads forbidden to Palestinians but open exclusively to Jewish settlers, and various other physical obstructions.

    At any given time there are about 100 permanent Israeli checkpoints in the West Bank, while surprise flying checkpoints often number into the hundreds.

    Checkpoint 300 in Bethlehem, November 24, 2017. (MaanImages/ Nasser Lahham)

    • Photos : la lutte quotidienne des travailleurs palestiniens au checkpoint 300
      24 novembre 2017 – Ma’an News – Traduction : Chronique de Palestine
      http://chroniquepalestine.com/lutte-quotidienne-travailleurs-palestiniens-checkpoint-300

      Ma’an News – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) – Aux premières heures de la matinée, généralement avant l’aube, des centaines de Palestiniens de la Cisjordanie occupée doivent subir de longues attentes au checkpoint 300, l’un des seuls points d’accès palestiniens du sud de la Cisjordanie vers Jérusalem et Israël [Palestine de 1948].

      Les Palestiniens se pressent dans les allées de ciment et de métal, franchissent des tourniquets, passent devant un détecteur de métaux et montrent leurs papiers d’identité et leurs permis aux soldats israéliens afin de se rendre en Israël pour travailler. Le processus peut parfois prendre des heures, avec des températures hivernales froides couplées avec des heures d’attente. Le sentiment de frustration est profond.(...)