The Israeli authority continues isolating the eastern parts of the West Bank (Jordan Valley, western shores of the Dead Sea and the eastern slopes of the West Bank) from the rest of the occupied Palestinian Territory, transferring the Palestinian cities and villages into small ghettos with no geographical contiguity.
On February 11, 2006, the Israeli Occupation Forces closed all entrances to Jericho Governorate in the face of the Palestinian residents who are accessing the checkpoints in or out of Jericho. The checkpoints in the Governorate particularly the DCO checkpoint at the entrance of Jericho city were closed from 2:00 pm until 6:00 am the next day where people had to stay waiting in rows and for hours in order to check their identities. See Photo 1 & Photo 2
Jericho Governorate is surrounded by 7 permanent checkpoints and 3 road blocks which are causing suffering and humiliation to more than 42,268 Palestinian residents and make travel impossible. See map 1
This is not the first incident of checkpoint closure, as the Israeli forces usually close the entrances of the Palestinian cities anytime and without any pre-notification using the security excuses without paying any attention to the Palestinian residents going to their schools, work and hospitals. For example if the Israeli soldiers close Al Hamra checkpoint (in the northern part of Jericho Governorate) for the Palestinian residents they practically isolate the eastern part of the West Bank from the Jordan Valley area, especially isolate the Palestinian villagers who plow lands from accessing their agricultural areas and isolating the villagers of the Jordan valley from seeking services in the nearby communities. The DCO checkpoint located at the southern entrance of Jericho isolate Jericho Governorate from the other West Bank Governorates.
Tens of Palestinian cars waited at the checkpoints to pass but it was impossible to access and people who waited at the DCO checkpoint particularly the passengers coming from the Jordan Bridge (Allenby Bridge) were forced to go back to Jericho city and spend the rest of the night there. It is worth mentioning that Palestinians traveling from the West Bank to Jordan must come through Jericho as to get to the Bridge which is located to the east of the city. After closing Ben Gorion Airport for Palestinians, Allenby Bridge became the only way out for the Palestinians, especially for the residents of the West Bank. However, it becomes difficult to reach Jericho when there is a closure especially with the checkpoints and the trench around which transforms the Palestinian territory into a big prison. Usually the Israeli forces do not give any justification for the purpose of the closure and this aggressive practice is one of the collective punishments against Palestinian residents which breach International laws and human rights.
Prepared by
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem
ARIJ
