Ma'an Nablus – Israeli forces prevented Palestinian Legislative Council candidates from moving freely throughout the West Bank on Tuesday. The move comes after Israeli soldiers took steps to isolate the northern West Bank following a bombing at a checkpoint south of Tulkarem in early December.
Israeli authorities consistently prevent Palestinian citizens from Tulkarem and Jenin from passing the Zaatarah crossing located south of Nablus. Additionally, Israeli forces have closed the main road between Jenin and Nablus since 15 August 2005.
These steps have forced Palestinians to travel dirt roads and find alternate and sometimes dangerous routes to reach their destinations.
Israel is also severely restricting Palestinian travel to East Jerusalem and between the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian Human Rights Center described these measures as 'collective punishment.' The Center says the measures violate the Fourth Geneva Convention and called on the international community to intervene on behalf of the Palestinian people.