We spent the early hours of this morning at the Bethlehem checkpoint. Thousands of Palestinian workers have to use this military checkpoint in order to get to work in Israel. It made my stomach turn.
One man who travels every morning from Hebron (45 mins, then 2 hour wait) to cross tells us it “look around us- the occupation, and in this crowd people are fighing- its cause of all this pressure- im 44 and i feel old” 
Another tells us “we are here like sardines, its hard to breathe, all stuck on top of each other” another said “if israel opened more lanes it wouldnt be this bad” Two elderly ladies were crammed among the men- they were headed to a hospital in israel but didn’t want to talk.
They have to endure this every day, just to go to work. Many didnt want to talk to us- afraid that Israel removes their permits, what is essentially their livelihoods. So much frustration, and a resignation that there is simply nothing they can do to change this.
This was just after 4am before it became packed. Men arrive carrying their lunches in plastic bags, hoodies over their heads to shelter them from the freezing morning air. They then have to make the same journey back again at the end of the day- leaving very little family time.
This is the daily reality for countless palestinians- I don’t think any of us who don’t have to endure this kind of treatment can begin to understand what it is like. Story coming up on @AJEnglish later in the week. End Thread.
