Far from it. For example, after noting that the roadblocks "seriously obstruct [Palestinian] freedom of movement ... with disastrous [social and economic] consequences", former UN special rapporteur John Dugard observes that the movement restrictions serve "to facilitate the travel of settlers through the West Bank and to impress upon the Palestinian people the power and presence of the occupier." (http://tinyurl.com/2dnyvh)
B`Tselem similarly reports that a "substantial proportion" of the restrictions on movement exist to further objectives other than security, e.g. "to create a rapid and convenient road network for the settlers", concluding that "the restrictions constitute collective punishment, which is absolutely forbidden by international humanitarian law." (http://tinyurl.com/5mhh25)
The UN OCHA also reports that the restrictions on Palestinian movement are "intimately linked to maintaining settler access and their quality of life". (http://tinyurl.com/2ofwjz)
I can go on. |
|
