Jerusalem: Israeli occupation forces on Monday evening sealed off the entrance of al-Ram town, north of the occupied West Bank city of Jerusalem, according to local sources. They reported that the occupying soldiers closed the northern entrance of the town, restricting the inhabitants' free access and causing significant traffic congestion.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, infantry forces have also been deployed at the nearby Jaba' checkpoint, compelling Palestinians to take lengthy and convoluted detours to reach their destinations or homes. These measures are part of a broader strategy by the occupation forces, who have been tightening military control across the occupied West Bank. This has been particularly evident since the release of the first batch of Palestinian prisoners, coinciding with the Gaza ceasefire initiated in January.
The occupation forces' actions have severely limited Palestinians' freedom of movement within the occupied West Bank. They have employed a complex network of approximately 898 fixed and flying checkpoints and gates, including 18 new gates installed since early 2025 and 146 others added after October 7, 2023. The measures also include settler-only roads, over 200 military bases, and various physical obstructions meant to isolate Palestinian communities.
In addition to military restrictions, ongoing attacks by Israeli colonists across the West Bank aim to intimidate Palestinians and displace them from their lands. These actions facilitate the construction of illegal Jewish colonies that further fragment Palestinian territories. The closures and other measures, ostensibly for security purposes, are in fact intended to reinforce Israel's 58-year-old military occupation of the West Bank. This occupation is characterized by routine and frequently deadly violence against Palestinians, supporting a settler colonial agenda.
