Bethlehem: Israeli occupation forces on Thursday established roadblocks near the Al-Fureidis village and Qabr Hilweh bridge, situated to the east of the occupied West Bank city of Bethlehem. The action has been confirmed by WAFA correspondent.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the occupation forces set up two checkpoints, where they stopped vehicles with Palestinian licenses and checked the identity cards of passengers. This move is part of broader military measures that have been intensified across the occupied West Bank since the release of the first group of Palestinian prisoners, following the implementation of the Gaza ceasefire in January 2025.
The Israeli forces have increasingly restricted the movement of Palestinians within the occupied West Bank. This has been achieved through a combination of approximately 898 fixed and flying checkpoints and gates, which include 18 gates installed since the beginning of 2025, and 146 others put in place after October 7, 2023. Additional obstacles include settler-only roads, over 200 military bases, and other physical barriers.
These military measures coincide with ongoing attacks by Israeli settlers across the West Bank that aim to intimidate Palestinians and displace them from their lands. The intention is to seize these lands and establish illegal Jewish colonies, further segregating Palestinian communities.
The closures and other security measures serve to reinforce Israel's military occupation of the West Bank, which has lasted 58 years. This occupation is upheld through routine and often deadly violence against Palestinians, underpinning Israel's settler colonial project in the region.
