15 feb 2020
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) continued, for the sixth consecutive day, to impose tight security measures on movement of Palestinian citizens on roads near the villages and towns of northwestern Ramallah.
According to local sources, the IOF shut down the road barriers on the main roads leading to villages and towns in the northwest of Ramallah, set up new checkpoints and obstructed the movement of Palestinian citizens and their vehicles.
Such Israeli restrictions on movement always cause a heavy build-up of traffic on the roads, especially when citizens go to and come from their workplaces and schools.
The villages and towns affected by these Israeli measures are Beit Rima, Nabi Saleh, Deir Ghassana, Deir Nidham, Aboud, and Kafr Ein (all in Ramallah), as well as Qirawa, Kafr ad-Dik, and Burqin in western Salfit.
According to local sources, the IOF shut down the road barriers on the main roads leading to villages and towns in the northwest of Ramallah, set up new checkpoints and obstructed the movement of Palestinian citizens and their vehicles.
Such Israeli restrictions on movement always cause a heavy build-up of traffic on the roads, especially when citizens go to and come from their workplaces and schools.
The villages and towns affected by these Israeli measures are Beit Rima, Nabi Saleh, Deir Ghassana, Deir Nidham, Aboud, and Kafr Ein (all in Ramallah), as well as Qirawa, Kafr ad-Dik, and Burqin in western Salfit.
Israeli occupation authorities last week prevented 57 Palestinians from the West Bank from travelling abroad through al-Karama border crossing with Jordan.
The Palestinian Authority police said in a statement on Saturday that 57 Palestinian passengers were banned from travel through al-Karama crossing for "security reasons" which the Israeli authorities refused to reveal.
During the same period, 32,663 passengers managed to travel in both directions via al-Karama crossing, the only outlet connecting the occupied West Bank with the outside world through Jordan.
The Palestinian Authority police said in a statement on Saturday that 57 Palestinian passengers were banned from travel through al-Karama crossing for "security reasons" which the Israeli authorities refused to reveal.
During the same period, 32,663 passengers managed to travel in both directions via al-Karama crossing, the only outlet connecting the occupied West Bank with the outside world through Jordan.
The Egyptian armed forces have started to build a new concrete wall along its border with the Gaza Strip.
According to local residents in Rafah, Egyptian workers and cranes started on Friday to build and erect segments of the concrete wall.
The barrier will isolate Gaza from Egypt completely and will be built along the 14-kilometer-long border between the two sides, starting from the Karam Abu Salem border crossing in the east of the Rafah crossing to the Palestinian shore in the west of Gaza.
The wall, made of reinforced concrete, is six meters high and goes about five meters under the ground. The distance between it and the old Egyptian stone wall will be around 20 meters.
An Egyptian intelligence delegation accompanied by three engineers visited Gaza on February 10 and made a field trip along the Egyptian-Gazan border as part of new Egyptian preparations to boost border security.
According to local residents in Rafah, Egyptian workers and cranes started on Friday to build and erect segments of the concrete wall.
The barrier will isolate Gaza from Egypt completely and will be built along the 14-kilometer-long border between the two sides, starting from the Karam Abu Salem border crossing in the east of the Rafah crossing to the Palestinian shore in the west of Gaza.
The wall, made of reinforced concrete, is six meters high and goes about five meters under the ground. The distance between it and the old Egyptian stone wall will be around 20 meters.
An Egyptian intelligence delegation accompanied by three engineers visited Gaza on February 10 and made a field trip along the Egyptian-Gazan border as part of new Egyptian preparations to boost border security.
12 feb 2020
The head of the International Quartet in Palestine, John Clark, affirmed today that his office is going to intervene regarding the Israeli decision to ban Palestinian exports of agricultural products and to take the necessary steps in cooperation with international partners in relation to the Israeli decision.
This came during his meeting with Minister of Economy Khaled Osaili at the ministry’s headquarters in Ramallah to discuss the implications of the Israeli decision and its turning back truckloads of agricultural products consisting of olive oil, dates and medicinal herbs intended for export to the United States, Sweden, Turkey and others countries.
Osaili briefed Clark on the ramifications of the Israeli decision and the Palestinian government's response to it by stopping the import of Israeli vegetables, fruits, juices, mineral water and carbonated drinks into the Palestinian markets.
The two sides also discussed the current economic situation in Palestine and the Israeli policies and measures related to import and export, pointing to the importance of international assistance for improving the Palestinian economy.
This came during his meeting with Minister of Economy Khaled Osaili at the ministry’s headquarters in Ramallah to discuss the implications of the Israeli decision and its turning back truckloads of agricultural products consisting of olive oil, dates and medicinal herbs intended for export to the United States, Sweden, Turkey and others countries.
Osaili briefed Clark on the ramifications of the Israeli decision and the Palestinian government's response to it by stopping the import of Israeli vegetables, fruits, juices, mineral water and carbonated drinks into the Palestinian markets.
The two sides also discussed the current economic situation in Palestine and the Israeli policies and measures related to import and export, pointing to the importance of international assistance for improving the Palestinian economy.
Israeli forces today sealed off several main and secondary roads of towns and villages to the north and west of the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah, according to residents. video
They told WAFA that Israeli troops shut down the main access road to Deir Ibzi and Kufr Nimeh villages, located to the north of Ramallah, as well as access road to Deir Nidham village, west of Ramallah, and closed the metal gate blocking access road to the village of Aboud, west of Ramallah.
The army also set up a flying checkpoint at the entrance of the village of Nabi Saleh, west of Ramallah, causing heavy traffic congestion and long delays.
They told WAFA that Israeli troops shut down the main access road to Deir Ibzi and Kufr Nimeh villages, located to the north of Ramallah, as well as access road to Deir Nidham village, west of Ramallah, and closed the metal gate blocking access road to the village of Aboud, west of Ramallah.
The army also set up a flying checkpoint at the entrance of the village of Nabi Saleh, west of Ramallah, causing heavy traffic congestion and long delays.
11 feb 2020
Israeli forces today shut the metal gate placed at the entrance to Nabi Saleh village, north of the West Bank city of Ramallah, thus obstructing entry and exit of vehicles and forcing residents to take long rough roods as detours to reach their destinations.
The closed entrance is used by the residents of a cluster of nearby villages, namely Beit Rima, Deir Ghassaneh, Kufr Ein and Qarawat Bani Zeid, in addition to those in some Salfit-district villages and towns.
Israel severely restricts Palestinians’ movement on West Bank roads through a complex combination of approximately 100 fixed and flying checkpoints, metal gates, cement cubes, dirt, settlers-only roads and various other physical obstructions.
The closed entrance is used by the residents of a cluster of nearby villages, namely Beit Rima, Deir Ghassaneh, Kufr Ein and Qarawat Bani Zeid, in addition to those in some Salfit-district villages and towns.
Israel severely restricts Palestinians’ movement on West Bank roads through a complex combination of approximately 100 fixed and flying checkpoints, metal gates, cement cubes, dirt, settlers-only roads and various other physical obstructions.
9 feb 2020
Minister of National Economy, Khaled Osseili, said on Sunday, that the Palestinian government was pursuing political, diplomatic and legal action to reverse Israel’s recent ban on the export of Palestinian agricultural abroad, which is aimed at stifling the Palestinian economy, WAFA reported.
At an emergency meeting of the Palestinian Exports Council in Ramallah, Osseili described the Israeli ban as a flagrant violation of the rules of the World Trade Organization, to which Israel is a member.
He affirmed the Palestinian government’s support for local farmers and exporters, and stressed the importance of joining forces by all parties.
Tareq Abu Laban, assistant undersecretary for the economic sector in the Ministry of Agriculture, stated on Sunday, that the decision to ban all Palestinian agricultural exports to the world markets via Jordan came into effect today.
In a phone interview with WAFA, Abu Laban said that the Israeli government’s decision to ban the export of Palestinian vegetables, fruits, olive oil and dates was in response to the Palestinian government’s October 2019 decision to ban the import of Israeli calves into the Palestinian market.
The value of these exports amounts to $100 million annually, and the majority of them are cultivated in the Jordan Valley region, which Israel has threatened to annex under the so called “deal of the century” proposal.
Last week, the Palestinian government, declared a ban on Israeli products coming into the Palestinian market, including vegetables, fruits, juices, mineral water and carbonated drinks, in response to Bennet’s decision to ban Palestinian agricultural products into Israel.
At an emergency meeting of the Palestinian Exports Council in Ramallah, Osseili described the Israeli ban as a flagrant violation of the rules of the World Trade Organization, to which Israel is a member.
He affirmed the Palestinian government’s support for local farmers and exporters, and stressed the importance of joining forces by all parties.
Tareq Abu Laban, assistant undersecretary for the economic sector in the Ministry of Agriculture, stated on Sunday, that the decision to ban all Palestinian agricultural exports to the world markets via Jordan came into effect today.
In a phone interview with WAFA, Abu Laban said that the Israeli government’s decision to ban the export of Palestinian vegetables, fruits, olive oil and dates was in response to the Palestinian government’s October 2019 decision to ban the import of Israeli calves into the Palestinian market.
The value of these exports amounts to $100 million annually, and the majority of them are cultivated in the Jordan Valley region, which Israel has threatened to annex under the so called “deal of the century” proposal.
Last week, the Palestinian government, declared a ban on Israeli products coming into the Palestinian market, including vegetables, fruits, juices, mineral water and carbonated drinks, in response to Bennet’s decision to ban Palestinian agricultural products into Israel.
7 feb 2020
The Ministry of National Economy said in a statement today that Israeli occupation authorities have recently returned back several Palestinian-produced truckloads of agricultural products that were destined for export abroad.
It said that during the past two days, Israeli occupation authorities banned the exit of all Palestinian agricultural items to the outside world, and informed their exporters that the ban would remain in effect until further notice.
"The decision of the Israeli "Defense" Minister Naftali Bennet was apparently not restricted to preventing the entry of Palestinian agricultural products to the Israeli market, but also included a ban on such exports to the countries of the world, including dates and olive oil," said the ministry.
Earlier this week, the Palestinian government declared a ban on the entry of Israeli products into the Palestinian market, including vegetables, fruits, juices, mineral water and carbonated drinks.
This was in response to Bennet’s decision banning the entry of Palestinian agricultural products into Israel, in retaliation for the Palestinian government's boycott of Israeli-produced cattle for almost four months.
Exports of Palestinian agricultural products to Israel amounted to 88 million dollars during 2018, which represents 68% of the total Palestinian agricultural exports to the world, estimated at 130 million dollars in 2018.
It said that during the past two days, Israeli occupation authorities banned the exit of all Palestinian agricultural items to the outside world, and informed their exporters that the ban would remain in effect until further notice.
"The decision of the Israeli "Defense" Minister Naftali Bennet was apparently not restricted to preventing the entry of Palestinian agricultural products to the Israeli market, but also included a ban on such exports to the countries of the world, including dates and olive oil," said the ministry.
Earlier this week, the Palestinian government declared a ban on the entry of Israeli products into the Palestinian market, including vegetables, fruits, juices, mineral water and carbonated drinks.
This was in response to Bennet’s decision banning the entry of Palestinian agricultural products into Israel, in retaliation for the Palestinian government's boycott of Israeli-produced cattle for almost four months.
Exports of Palestinian agricultural products to Israel amounted to 88 million dollars during 2018, which represents 68% of the total Palestinian agricultural exports to the world, estimated at 130 million dollars in 2018.
6 feb 2020
On February 2, 2020, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) announced tightening restrictions on the movement of goods into the Gaza Strip and on the movement of merchants/businesspersons in response to incendiary balloons and projectiles fired towards Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip.
In a press release, Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Maj. Gen. Kamil Abu Rokon, announced freezing facilitations relevant to commerce, economy and movement across checkpoints, including decreasing the number of businesspersons permits and ceasing import of cement to the Gaza Strip.
The Coordinator proclaimed that these measures are in response to violence against Israel in its border area with the Gaza Strip and launching projectiles towards Israel.
According to PCHR follow-up, Israeli authorities informed the Presidential Committee for Goods Coordination in Gaza that its decision to ban the entry of cement into the Gaza Strip is effective as of February 1, 2020. Simultaneously, IOF annulled 460 exit permits previously issued for businesspersons from the Gaza Strip.
It should be noted that this decision followed Israeli authorities’ decision 3 days earlier to allow entry of the type of cement used for tiling through Kerm Shalom crossing in a departure from the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism (GRM) managed by the United Nations. While entry of cement used to make concrete was sustained through GRM.
This decision falls under the Israeli closure policy imposed on the Gaza Strip since June 2007, as tight restrictions are imposed on the movement of persons and goods ever since. In terms of commercial crossing, Israeli authorities have 62 items listed on the “dual-use” items, these items include basic materials and commodities.
Furthermore, Israeli authorities continue to ban Gaza exports except for a marginal amount that does not exceed 5.7% of the Gaza monthly exports prior to June 2007.
As to crossings dedicated for the movement of individuals, IOF continue to impose extreme restrictions on the freedom of movement of the Gaza population through Beit Hanoun “Erez” Crossing and only allows a limited number of categories with great limitations.
These newly adopted measures by Israel will deepen the humanitarian and living crises of the Gaza Strip, especially under the skyrocketing unemployment, poverty and food insecurity.
The Gaza unemployment has reached 45%, a total of 217,100 thousand workers unemployed, while more than 50% are under the poverty line according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics poverty in the Gaza Strip is 53%, and more than 67% of the Gaza population suffer from food insecurity according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights is greatly concerned about IOF’s decision to tighten the Gaza closure for its grave consequences on the economic and living conditions of the Gaza Strip population.
PCHR believes that this decision is a form of collective punishment and retaliatory action committed by IOF against Palestinian civilians.
In light of the above, PCHR calls upon the international community to act:
In a press release, Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Maj. Gen. Kamil Abu Rokon, announced freezing facilitations relevant to commerce, economy and movement across checkpoints, including decreasing the number of businesspersons permits and ceasing import of cement to the Gaza Strip.
The Coordinator proclaimed that these measures are in response to violence against Israel in its border area with the Gaza Strip and launching projectiles towards Israel.
According to PCHR follow-up, Israeli authorities informed the Presidential Committee for Goods Coordination in Gaza that its decision to ban the entry of cement into the Gaza Strip is effective as of February 1, 2020. Simultaneously, IOF annulled 460 exit permits previously issued for businesspersons from the Gaza Strip.
It should be noted that this decision followed Israeli authorities’ decision 3 days earlier to allow entry of the type of cement used for tiling through Kerm Shalom crossing in a departure from the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism (GRM) managed by the United Nations. While entry of cement used to make concrete was sustained through GRM.
This decision falls under the Israeli closure policy imposed on the Gaza Strip since June 2007, as tight restrictions are imposed on the movement of persons and goods ever since. In terms of commercial crossing, Israeli authorities have 62 items listed on the “dual-use” items, these items include basic materials and commodities.
Furthermore, Israeli authorities continue to ban Gaza exports except for a marginal amount that does not exceed 5.7% of the Gaza monthly exports prior to June 2007.
As to crossings dedicated for the movement of individuals, IOF continue to impose extreme restrictions on the freedom of movement of the Gaza population through Beit Hanoun “Erez” Crossing and only allows a limited number of categories with great limitations.
These newly adopted measures by Israel will deepen the humanitarian and living crises of the Gaza Strip, especially under the skyrocketing unemployment, poverty and food insecurity.
The Gaza unemployment has reached 45%, a total of 217,100 thousand workers unemployed, while more than 50% are under the poverty line according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics poverty in the Gaza Strip is 53%, and more than 67% of the Gaza population suffer from food insecurity according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights is greatly concerned about IOF’s decision to tighten the Gaza closure for its grave consequences on the economic and living conditions of the Gaza Strip population.
PCHR believes that this decision is a form of collective punishment and retaliatory action committed by IOF against Palestinian civilians.
In light of the above, PCHR calls upon the international community to act:
