Violation: Shutting down Kifl Haris' entrance again
Date: 16/02/2014
Location: The entry of Kifl Haris linked to road no. 505
Details:
After less than two weeks of closing the southern gateway to Kifl Haris, forces of the Israeli occupation re-shut down the entrance. This action, according to the Israeli occupation, is an act of punishment to the inhabits of Kifl Haris- north of Salfit- who are accused of throwing stones at colonists crossing bypass '505' that penetrates Salfit including Kifl Haris.
It is worth mentioning that the southern gateway to Kifl Haris was closed more than once since 2000. On July 09, 2008, the Israeli occupation army raided Kifl Haris under the pretext of preventing people from throwing stones at road no. 505. The army closed the entrances of the town using earth mounds which led to a paralysis in transportation within the town and with nearby towns.
Even before 2008, the entrance was closed for 8 years. It was closed from 2000 and reopened in December 2008 by placing an iron gate at the entrance and stalling watchtower by the Israeli occupation for surveillance. That has had a negative impact on the residents of the town what with the difficulty with movement of goods and people and problems with transferring patients. That led to a fall in the economic status of the village and a bad psychological effect on the residents who think they live in a big prison.
On the other hand, colonists have been visiting the religious sites in Kifl Haris twice a year since 1967. The commemorate the establishment of Israel in addition to celebrating Hosanna, a religious festival. Not to mention random visits colonists make by which they deliberately inflict harm to people's property and frighten children. It should be remarked that colonists come by buses and visit under the protection of the Israeli occupation army that poses traffic curfew on the town to ensure protecting colonists. The latter write offensive anti-Arab slogans on the religious shrines that are 3 in number: Al Nabi Yusha', Dhul Kifl, and Dhul- Nun).
Prepared by:
The Land Research Center
