#WestBank / Report: how IDF and the settlers blocking entrance to Palestinian towns in the West Bank (Yuval Avraham)
According to #IDF protocols, closures and movement restrictions can only be imposed when there is a concrete security need, not as punitive or deterrent measures. Closures are supposed to be time-limited with orders, and sweeping restrictions avoided, allowing exceptions for urgent humanitarian needs.
This is a long, detailed and well documented report of daily abuse of Palestinian residents in the West Bank by settlers.
Some of the events reported:
In the village of Khirbet Sarra, residents must call the nearby settlement to get permission every time they want to leave on foot, as the village entrance has been blocked by a stone barricade.
In Beit Jala, a young man was shot dead by soldiers when he tried to open a gate to help an elderly woman exit in her car.
Ambulance drivers reported being prevented from using main roads to reach cities like Nablus and Hebron quickly, forcing them to take long detours on poor roads while patients suffer.
In multiple cases, roads were closed by settlers putting up barricades, with the army later adopting the closures rather than removing them. The settlements of Ma'ale Amos and Avni Hefetz blocked the main road to Palestinians for a month before the army intervened.
Entire villages like Susya and Sa'ir have had all roads leading in and out blocked by a combination of army and settler actions, leaving them isolated.
Refugee camps like Al-Fawwar have had main entrances blocked, with residents reporting they will be shot if they try to leave at night.
Roads have been closed as "punishment" after stone throwing incidents, with the army acknowledging this despite it being against protocol.
IDF spokesperson response:
The IDF spokesperson said roadblocks and traffic monitoring are being used in the West Bank according to security assessments to protect all residents in the area. Some road closures and traffic checks are therefore in place in various locations.
The IDF acknowledged forces exceeded their approved mission by blocking roads in the village of Susya without coordination. That blockade has since been removed. The closure in Khirbet Sarra is under review by security forces.
Overall, the IDF states it is acting based on security assessments to provide safety, and claims blockades and traffic monitoring serve this purpose even though humanitarian concerns and protocol violations have been raised.
