The Israeli Occupation Forces closed on February 7, 2006 'Gilo 300 Terminal' Gate in face of the Palestinian residents and Internationals who are accessing the terminal coming to Bethlehem or going out to Jerusalem. The gate was closed from 11:00 o'clock in the morning until 3:00 in the afternoon. A queue of Palestinian cars waited to pass through the gate but there was no movement and the Israeli soldiers paid no attention to them. The closure of the gate came without pre notification from the Israeli side who also gave no justification for this practice. See Photo 1
The Israeli Authorities had on November 15, 2005 inaugurated terminal '300' in the northern entrance of Bethlehem Governorate. This terminal is the first among ten other terminals which are being constructed along the path of the Segregation Wall in the West Bank. Since then, the Israeli army has limited the access of Palestinians and all those who are accessing the terminal on their way in to Bethlehem or out to Jerusalem city. See Photo 2 & Photo 3
The access of this terminal is only limited to Palestinians holding Israeli permits enabling them to enter the city of Jerusalem and those who either hold Jerusalem IDs or international passports. The terminal is the only access to Jerusalem in addition to the tunnel's road (Road 60) which is also limiting the access of Palestinians and all wishing to enter the Governorate or get out of it. Otherwise, thousands of Palestinians are prevented from accessing Jerusalem and are imprisoned in one big Ghetto.
The Israeli practice of closing the terminal's gate in the face of people accessing it and without pre notification is a violation of all international and human rights laws. It is an unacceptable behavior from the side of the Israelis which aims at discouraging Palestinians from asserting their full rights; not forgetting to mention that it will put the dense Palestinian communities into ghettos in which freedom of movement will be stolen from Palestinians and through which Israel will exert arbitrary control with minimum effort or risk.
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Prepared by
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem
ARIJ
