Israeli Occupation Forces set up a metal gate at Halhul’s northern entrance

• Violation: setting up a metal gate
• Location:  Halhul – Hebron
• Date:  October 23, 2018
• Perpetrators: Israeli Occupation Forces
• Victims: residents of Hebron governorate.

Description:

On March 05, 2018,  Israeli Occupation Forces set up a metal gate at the northern entrance of Halhul , north Hebron governorate.

It is reported that a force from the occupation army encircled the area, set up a gate on the northern entrance in “Al-Hawawir junction” , and closed it, the closure continued for a week.

Photos 1-3: The metal gate on the northern entrance of Halhul.

These are one of the Israeli collective punishment policies, obstructing Palestinians’ movement, and make them go longer ways to reach their destinations are violations of international laws and conventions, here are some of examples:

• The road from the metal gate location to As-Sahm gas station is 300 meters, now that the road is blocked, citizens will go through bypass 60 to reach the gas station (7 kilometers), this is the same road citizens whose houses are isolated behind the gate have to go through to reach down town.

• Most cars coming from the northern cities of west bank to Hebron pass through the northern entrance of Halhul (5 kilometers) , now the road takes (8 kilometers) through the bypass road to Hebron city entrance.

• The road from the metal gate towards the center of Halhul city takes (3 kilometer) , now that the road is closes, citizens have to pass through a (5 kilometers) road.

Israel set up 28 gates at the entrances of Palestinian villages, town and refugee camps in Hebron governorate, not mentioning the several checkpoints in the heart of Hebron and its Old City.

The following table illustrates the locations of metal gates in Hebron until 2018:

Legal Commentary:

The constringing policy  by the Israel occupation authorities   towards the Palestinian civilians in all West Bank’s governorate including closing roads and obstructing their movement  can only be regarded as a violation of their right in the liberty of movement pledged by all  international conventions  and agreements like:

The  Universal Declaration of Human Rights(1948) article(13) states:

• Every person has the right of liberty of movement and to choose his place of residence inside the borders of each country.
• Each person has the right to depart  or to come back  to any country including his country.

The Universal Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of  Racial Discrimination (1965) article 3(5)paragrah2-d

• Every person has the right of liberty of movement and to choose his place of residence inside the borders of each country.
• Each person has the right to depart  or to come back  to any country including his country.

The Universal covenant on civil and political rights (1966) article(12-3)

• Each person legally has the liberity to move and to select his residence place.

Prepared by
 The Land Research Center
LRC